Canada’s agriculture department and food safety agency will carry out their part of the federal government’s Indo-Pacific strategy from a new office in Manila, Philippines. Federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau announced the office’s location Wednesday in Ottawa during a meeting with the Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance (CAFTA), which represents Canada’s export-dependent ag commodity groups on […] Read more
Philippines to host Canada’s Indo-Pacific ag office
AAFC/CFIA base to be set up in Manila, Bibeau says
Australia reaches deal with China in barley dispute
Trade shift may be 'bad news' for Canada and other exporters
Sydney/Beijing | Reuters — Australia has reached an agreement with China to resolve their dispute over barley imports, the two countries said on Tuesday, a latest sign of improving ties between the major commodity trade partners. Relations between the two had been strained for years, and worsened after Australia called for an inquiry into the […] Read more
New U.S. ag trade chief demands Canada broaden dairy quota access
USTR's new ag rep's eyes also on Mexico GM corn ban
Washington | Reuters — Canada must let U.S. processors of cheese, ice cream, yogurt, milk powder and other dairy products have access to its import quotas to resolve a second U.S. dairy trade challenge, Washington’s new agricultural trade boss told Reuters. Doug McKalip, chief agricultural trade negotiator for the U.S. Trade Representative’s office, told Reuters […] Read more
U.S. wants WTO dispute system fixed by 2024
Appeals body frozen since Trump era; Washington 'very committed' to reform
Geneva | Reuters — The United States is entering a third phase of talks with countries to reform the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) hobbled trade dispute arbitration system and aims for it to be “fully functioning” by the end of 2024, the U.S. ambassador to the WTO told Reuters on Thursday. The WTO’s appeals bench, […] Read more
Canada to boost defence, cyber security in Indo-Pacific policy
New policy document puts focus on 'disruptive' China
Ottawa | Reuters — Canada launched its long-awaited Indo-Pacific strategy on Sunday, outlining $2.3 billion in spending to boost military and cyber security in the region and vowed to deal with a “disruptive” China while working with it on climate change and trade issues. The plan detailed in a 26-page document said Canada will tighten […] Read more
Feds pledge agriculture office for Indo-Pacific export support
Ottawa aims to tighten ties with region
Updated Nov. 23 — Canada’s latest round of federal efforts to boost economic ties with the Indo-Pacific region will include its first dedicated agriculture and agri-food office in the region. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s tour through the region last week included a pledge of $31.8 million over five years for a regional agriculture office, to […] Read more
Canada, China agree to suspend WTO canola dispute
Lifting of canola ban renders case moot
Berlin | Reuters — Canada and China have agreed to suspend proceedings against Chinese measures affecting the importation of Canadian canola seed, according to a World Trade Organization (WTO) complaint on Thursday. The WTO Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) panel suspended its work as of Tuesday, the complaint said. Work can be suspended at any time […] Read more
Canadian lawmakers plan Taiwan trip amid rising China tensions
Ottawa | Reuters — A delegation of Canadian lawmakers plans to visit Taiwan in October to seek economic opportunities in the Asia Pacific region, Liberal MP Judy Sgro said Wednesday, a move that could further stoke tensions between China and the West. The relationship between China and the West has worsened since U.S. House of […] Read more
Pulse weekly outlook: India extends lentil tariff suspension
Canada's 2022 crop looks nearer to normal
MarketsFarm — The decision by India’s government to continue with a suspension of import tariffs on lentils has been met with a sigh of relief from Pulse Canada. On Feb. 12, India removed an 11 per cent tariff on Canadian lentils, just seven months after reducing the same tariff from 33 per cent. On July […] Read more
Trade missions no longer enough in Indo-Pacific region, say experts
Canada is not part of the region’s new trade alliance -- and that has experts worried that the country is missing the boat
Reading Time: 3 minutes If Canada wants to continue to grow its agriculture trade in one of the fastest growing regions of the globe, it needs a new strategy, says a veteran trade expert. And a ‘trade mission’ strategy in the Indo-Pacific region isn’t enough, said Meredith Lilly, who holds the Simon Reisman Chair in International Affairs at Carleton […] Read more
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