Canada has reached an agreement with the United States to establish a trade group to promote a science approach to international agricultural trade.
The group’s aim is to improve trade in agricultural goods between Canada and the U.S., improve regulations and promote and strengthen food safety,” said a U.S. Department of Agriculture release.
Canadian agriculture minister Gerry Ritz said in the release that agricultural trade between Canada and the U.S. involves more than $34 billion in products every year.
“Working together, we can break down barriers overseas and expand the opportunities for Canadian and American farmers throughout the world.”
The bilateral working group would find ways to collaborate and promote more free exchange of agricultural products between our countries, and in markets around the globe,” U.S. agriculture secretary Tom Vilsack said in the release.
The group would have representation from both countries and would work to reduce trade barriers for genetically modified products and other issues of mutual benefit.
Ritz and Vilsack reaffirmed their desire to co-operate on “priority” markets for beef and other high-value products where possible.
They also said they would “implement and strengthen” the two countries’ organic equivalency standards.
Last year, Canada and the U.S. signed an agreement on organic products trade.
Imported organic products ruled as originating from an “equivalent” foreign regulatory regime wouldn’t need to be re-certified to the importing country’s standards by its own accredited certification agencies.
