U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue holds a U.S. flag-themed face mask while speaking about the U.S. food supply chain as President Donald Trump listens during a COVID-19 pandemic response event at the White House on May 19, 2020. (Photo: Reuters/Leah Millis)

President’s cattle call finds expected marks in U.S.

Trump suggests killing trade pacts with unnamed cattle-exporting nations

U.S. President Donald Trump’s remarks Tuesday about imports of live cattle into the United States resonated predictably among that country’s various cattle producer groups. At a White House event Tuesday, flanked by U.S. farm and ranch leaders and Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue for a multi-billion-dollar COVID-19-related farm aid announcement, Trump said he “read yesterday where […] Read more

Canada/U.S. border signage in downtown Detroit. (RiverNorthPhotography/Getty Images)

CUSMA pact to take effect July 1, USTR says

Washington | Reuters — U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer on Friday said he has notified Congress that the new U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement will take effect on July 1, a month later than initially proposed. In a statement, Lighthizer said both Mexico and Canada had taken measures necessary to comply with their commitments under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada […] Read more

File photo of Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland in the House of Commons in Ottawa on March 9, 2020. (Photo: Reuters/Blair Gable)

Parliament hustles through CUSMA ratification

Implementing bill passes before Commons adjourns until April 20

Ottawa | Reuters — Canada’s Parliament rushed through ratification of the new Canada-U.S.-Mexico (CUSMA) trade pact on Friday before taking a three-week break to help stop the spread of the coronavirus, a top government official said. Canada was the last of the three signatories to formally adopt the pact, prompting congratulations from the United States […] Read more

The Canadian Grain Commission building on Main Street in Winnipeg. (File photo)

NFU sees red flags in CUSMA bill for grain growers

Bibeau urged to 'correct mistakes' in NAFTA 2.0-enabling legislation

The National Farmers Union is warning of sweeping changes to Canadian grain regulation it sees tucked into federal legislation meant to put through the successor deal to NAFTA. Bill C-4, the implementing legislation for the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), passed second reading Feb. 6 and came back without amendment Feb. 27 from the Commons standing committee […] Read more

A guest looks at their corn cob-themed tie signed by U.S. President Donald Trump during a signing ceremony for the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington on Jan. 29, 2020. (Photo: Reuters/Leah Millis)

Trump signs CUSMA pact

Canada's ratification still to come

Washington | Reuters — President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed a new North American trade agreement during an outdoor ceremony at the White House attended by about 400 guests — but not the key Democrats who helped secure congressional passage of the deal. Trump, on trial in the U.S. Senate on charges of abusing power […] Read more


Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou leaves B.C. Supreme Court on a lunch break during her extradition hearing in Vancouver on Jan. 22, 2020. (Photo: Reuters/Jennifer Gauthier)

Improving global ag trade may not favour Canada

MarketsFarm — When it comes to improving global trade relations, a rising tide may not lift all boats. In the recently-signed Phase One trade deal between the U.S. and China, Beijing pledged to significantly increase Chinese purchases of U.S. soybeans and other agriculture goods. “Where does that leave room for Canada, given the demand side […] Read more

CBOT March 2020 corn with Bollinger (20,2) bands. (Barchart)

CBOT weekly outlook: Corn set to rally

MarketsFarm — Corn futures on the Chicago Board of Trade may be due for a rally. The March corn contract hit $3.92 per bushel three times earlier in the month, facing stiff resistance to break higher (all figures US$). Prices established lows last week, around $3.7525. “I would like to see resistance be taken to […] Read more

Canada/U.S. border signage in downtown Detroit. (RiverNorthPhotography/Getty Images)

Trudeau wants CUSMA deal ratified quickly

Winnipeg | Reuters — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday urged legislators to quickly approve a new continental trade pact but the main opposition party said it wanted to study the deal, indicating the ratification process could drag on. Canada is the only one of the three signatories not to have formally blessed the […] Read more


CBOT March 2020 corn with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Corn, soy to one-month lows

Chicago | Reuters –– U.S. corn and soybean futures hit one-month lows on Thursday and wheat futures followed amid doubts about whether China will make the purchases from the United States promised in a trade deal between the two countries, analysts said. Chicago Board of Trade March corn futures tumbled three per cent, settling down […] Read more

Canada/U.S. border signage in downtown Detroit. (RiverNorthPhotography/Getty Images)

U.S. Senate passes CUSMA trade deal

Washington | Reuters — The U.S. Senate on Thursday approved a revamp of the 26-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement that includes tougher rules on labour and automotive content but leaves US$1.2 trillion in annual U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade flows largely unchanged. The legislation for the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (CUSMA) passed on an 89-10 bipartisan vote, sending the […] Read more