The Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance recently celebrated its 15th anniversary during a board meeting and reception in Ottawa .
Agriculture minister Gerry Ritz praised the lobby group as a key supporter of the government’s relentless drive to forge new international trade agreements.
“There’s no question CAFTA has been a driving force in opening new market opportunities for our farmers and food processors, and I thank you for that,” Ritz said at the May 8 reception.
The group that became CAFTA formed in 1997 and is one of the most influential lobby groups in Ottawa now that power resides with a Conservative government with a strong trade agenda.
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Export dependent businesses were convinced by the World Trade Organization deal of 1993 that they needed a stronger voice.
They felt the deal gave Canadian agricultural exporters little new access but preserved supply management protections for the dairy, egg and poultry industries.
Led in part by then-Western Canadian Wheat Growers’ Association president Ted Menzies, now junior finance minister in the federal Conservative government, export interests decided to organize so that their lobby voice would be prominent in future negotiations.
CAFTA has since expanded its reach to include livestock, grain, pulse, sugar and processing interests with members across the country.
CAFTA president Richard Phillips said the organization has been successful because it has worked hard to make contact with Canadian trade officials and politicians as well as officials in many of the countries to which Canada hopes to export.
“We really have worked hard to develop relationships,” he said.
And the organization was a natural fit when the Conservatives took power in 2006 with a strong trade agenda. Members have been part of government trade delegations ever since.
