(British Columbia Wine Institute photo)

B.C. to defend wine industry against U.S. trade action

Vancouver | Reuters — The British Columbia government said Wednesday it would defend its wine industry against a trade challenge from the U.S., and was confident it was not breaking any international trade rules. Earlier Wednesday, the U.S. said it started action against Canada at the World Trade Organization, accusing B.C. of discriminating against U.S. […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Cattle producers urge trade fight if Trump revives COOL

Winnipeg | Reuters — Canadian cattle producers will urge Ottawa to retaliate against the U.S. if the incoming Trump administration imposes a meat labelling program it views as discriminatory, restarting a six-year trade battle, an industry group said on Wednesday. U.S. news network CNN reported on Tuesday that a memo drafted by President-elect Donald Trump’s […] Read more

(Keith Weller photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

New Zealand dairy industry worries over Canada pricing plan

Wellington/Winnipeg | Reuters — New Zealand is closely watching changes in how Canada prices dairy products, New Zealand’s trade ministry said on Friday, as industry groups in several countries complain of unfair Canadian competition. Canada’s dairy farmers and processors, which include Saputo and Parmalat Canada, struck a pricing agreement in July that industry groups in […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

U.S. challenges Chinese wheat, corn, rice price supports at WTO

Washington | Reuters — The United States on Tuesday launched a challenge to China’s price supports for domestic production of rice, wheat and corn at the World Trade Organization, charging that these far exceed limits that China committed to when it joined the WTO in 2001. The U.S. Trade Representative’s office said China’s “market price […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. COOL rules formally off beef, pork

The U.S. Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has formally patched a long-sore spot in cross-border trade relations by pulling its country-of-origin labelling (COOL) regulations off beef and pork. The AMS, an arm of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), published its amendments Wednesday in the U.S. Federal Register. The changes, which took effect upon publication, mean […] Read more


(Keith Weller photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Brazil soy growers seek WTO complaint against U.S.

Sao Paulo | Reuters — Brazilian soybean growers have asked their country to file a complaint against the U.S. at the World Trade Organization, alleging U.S. farm subsidies give an unfair advantage to the world’s top soybean producer. Brasilia-based farm group Aprosoja says those subsidies might be costing Brazilian farmers $1 billion a year in […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Canada, Mexico granted COOL retaliation power

Canada and Mexico may now impose retaliatory tariffs against U.S. goods at will over Washington’s country-of-origin labelling (COOL) rules — just in time for the process of erasing those rules to begin. U.S. President Barack Obama late Friday signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2016, an omnibus bill approving funding for various government agencies and […] Read more

(Canada Beef Inc. photo)

Mexico halts bid for COOL retaliation

Mexico City | Reuters — Mexico has halted a bid to impose retaliatory trade measures on the U.S. over meat labeling rules after U.S. lawmakers repealed them this week, a Mexican government official said. Mexico had announced earlier this month it would start internal procedures to strip benefits from some U.S. agricultural and industrial imports, […] Read more


The WTO’s director-general, Roberto Azevedo, and Kenya’s cabinet secretary for foreign affairs and international trade, Amina Mohamed, close the fifth day of the WTO ministerial conference in Nairobi. (Photo courtesy Admedia Communication, copyright WTO)

WTO backs agricultural reforms, split on Doha

Nairobi | Reuters — The World Trade Organization reached deals on agricultural export subsidies, food aid and other issues on Saturday, capping a ministerial conference in the Kenyan capital where rich and poor countries had been split over the path of trade reform. Members said the Nairobi deal had drawn a line under years of […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. Congress repeals COOL on beef, pork

The U.S. Senate and House of Representatives have both approved a repeal of the government’s six-year old mandatory country-of-origin labelling (COOL) laws on beef and pork. Tucked into an omnibus appropriations bill put before Congress Friday, the repeal shuts the door on a major irritant in North American trade relations and is expected to curb […] Read more