Federal agriculture minister Chuck Strahl thinks Canada can avoid the inconvenience and cost of increased food inspection at the United States border by proving the measures are unnecessary.
In August, the U.S. government proposed a new charge on Canadian food products crossing the border to raise $77 million toward the increased cost of inspecting food for biohazards.
Canadian exporters and political opposition have raised the alarm that this will disrupt trade and cut into farmer income.
“No matter how you cut it, increased costs always come out of the producer’s hide,” Liberal agriculture critic Wayne Easter said Sept. 14, complaining that the Conservatives were not aggressive enough in protesting the U.S. proposal for more border controls.
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Strahl, who met Sept. 13 in Washington with U.S. agriculture secretary Mike Johanns, said he raised the issue and found Johanns receptive.
Increased American inspection of Canadian food imports was not an initiative of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Johanns said he would seek more information on the measure. Canadian and American officials already are working on ways to deal with U.S. concerns.
“I think we can dodge it,” Strahl said. “I think their border security issues can be addressed and are being addressed without resorting to more congestion and delay at the border.”
One of the American issues is the possibility that agricultural products from third countries are being shipped through Canada into the U.S.
Strahl said officials from the U.S. government and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency are working on rules that will allow the paperwork to be done before the truck gets to the border.
“I just think we have ways to deal with their concerns that do not involve these new border measures,” said the minister. “I think we have to apply the test of, is it achieving the goal of safer borders? We are saying there are other better ways to achieve the same goal.”
Easter complained that the pro-American Conservatives are too gentle in their complaints.
“We may make our point but this government makes it politely. There is no evidence that this approach is producing results for Canada,” the veteran MP and farm leader said from his Prince Edward Island riding.
On other issues in Washington, Strahl said Johanns assured him that the U.S. administration is determined to propose a total opening of the border to Canadian cattle and beef products as soon as possible, despite recurring Canadian BSE cases.
Canada has sent all the information required on the latest BSE case and Johanns indicated there is nothing in the latest data to suggest the need for more stringent rules on Canadian imports or a delay in a total border opening.
After the meeting, Johanns told reporters in Washington that the U.S. has no intention of making permanent the ban on breeding stock and animals older than 30 months.
Barring new BSE cases, the U.S. government is expected to publish its proposal to lift border restrictions early next year. A seventh Canadian case in July delayed the announcement this summer.
