Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland in Washington, D.C. on May 31, 2017. (Global Affairs Canada screengrab via YouTube)

Freeland to visit Washington this week for NAFTA talks

Ottawa | Reuters — Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland will visit Washington this week in another bid to help unblock talks on the North American Free Trade Agreement, a spokesman said on Monday. Freeland will be in Washington on Tuesday and Wednesday, said spokesman Adam Austen. The U.S., Mexico and Canada are struggling to […] Read more



Assembly of a 2014 Chevy Traverse at General Motors’ Lansing Delta Township assembly plant in Michigan. (John F. Martin photo for Chevrolet)

NAFTA nations ‘nowhere near’ a deal, USTR says

Washington/New York | Reuters — The top U.S. trade official on Thursday poured cold water on the prospect of an imminent breakthrough in talks to rework the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) hours after Canada’s prime minister struck a positive note. “The NAFTA countries are nowhere near close to a deal,” U.S. Trade Representative […] Read more





(Gloria Solano-Aguilar photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

U.S. livestock: CME hogs slump amid fund roll, NAFTA worries

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures finished lower on Friday, hit by the “roll” by funds into deferred months and uneasiness over North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) talks, said traders. “NAFTA fears, Goldman roll and premiums to the cash prices. Everyone who bought futures this week decided to dump them […] Read more


U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan (left) tours ag retailer Blain’s Farm and Fleet with U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue in August 2017. (Paulryan.house.gov)

Ryan sets May 17 deadline for NAFTA deal

Washington | Reuters — U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan has set a May 17 deadline to be notified of a new NAFTA trade deal to give the current Congress a chance of passing it, while Mexico’s top trade official on Thursday said time was running short to meet such a deadline. Ryan, who controls legislation […] Read more