A 25 per cent tariff on Canadian goods could have serious consequences for sectors like beef and pork, but the federal minister of agriculture expressed confidence that the cross-border trade relationship can once again weather the storm.

Canada-U.S. relationship can weather trade disruptions, MacAulay says of Trump tariff threat

Australia says China has lifted some restrictions on meat imports
Aussie trade minister calls it a positive step in improving relations between the countries
Australia's trade ministry said on Tuesday that China had lifted restrictions on imports of meat from three Australian abattoirs, in the latest sign of improving relations between the two countries.

A tale of two trade agreements
The TPP deal soars, the EU deal stalls
Asian and Pacific nations are snapping up our beef while EU roadblocks persist
Reading Time: 5 minutes When it comes to Canada’s two big foreign trade deals, the difference for beef producers is night and day — one is putting money in their pockets and the other has mostly been an exercise in frustration. In just the first two years of the three-year-old Trans-Pacific trade deal, member nations upped their buys of […] Read more
Canada hails new WTO chief
Trade body names first African, and first female, DG
Canada is lending its support to the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) choice for its new director general. Ngorzi Okonjo-Iweala was chosen Feb. 15 by WTO members as the international trade body’s new head, making her the first woman and the first African to serve in the role. Mary Ng, Canada’s minister of small business, export […] Read more

Grains sector backed to develop export rejection insurance
Code of practice for 'sustainable' crops also in works
The organization representing Canada’s crops sector will get public funding to develop an insurance plan against the “unpredictability” of export customers. Federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau, speaking Wednesday at the CropConnect conference in Winnipeg, announced over $430,000 for the Canada Grains Council to develop a pilot insurance product for grain exporters. Such an insurance plan […] Read more

Trump says agreed with EU to work to lower trade barriers
Washington | Reuters — U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday the United States and the European Union were kicking off talks aimed at lowering trade barriers as officials looked to head off a brewing trade war. “This was a very big day for free and fair trade, a very big day indeed,” Trump told […] Read more

TPP trade ministers push to wrap up ambitious trade deal
Atlanta | Reuters — Pacific trade ministers readied on Wednesday to close the biggest trade deal in a generation but warned there was still work to be done on issues ranging from intellectual property to trade in dairy and automobiles. Australian Trade Minister Andrew Robb said ministers from the 12 countries negotiating the Trans-Pacific Partnership […] Read more