Western Producer’s ongoing coverage of Trump tariffs and their impact on Canadian farmers and agriculture

Reading Time: 47 minutes

Published: January 21, 2025

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Graphic showing a half-U.S.-half-Canada flag above a "tariffs" stamp and the words, "Bracing for Trouble" below.

As of March 4, 2025 U.S. president Donald Trump’s threat of imposing a 25 per cent tariff on Canadian goods has become a reality.

Canada has immediately applied retaliatory tariffs, but the true scope of the fallout from this action is yet to be determined.

Most experts agree that Canadian agriculture will suffer.

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In 2023 Canada sent more than US $40 billion of agricultural goods to the U.S., chief among them commodities like beef, pork and canola oil. And Canada is the No. 2 market for U.S. agricultural exports with sales of US $28.4 billion in 2023, using data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

We’ve collected all our coverage of this important issue below.

This page will be updated as the story develops.

Posted April 30, 2025

A seeding season of uncertainty ahead in U.S. trade – As farmers begin to seed Alberta’s 1.5 million acres of irrigated land this growing season, it is full steam ahead regardless of the uncertainty of the trade wars ahead.

Close-up of a sprinkler head on an irrigation pivot with water flowing out of it.
It has been a dizzying couple of months of uncertainty for various industries, but the diversity that irrigated agriculture provides can steady the uncertain trade waters to some degree. Photo: File

Posted April 10, 2025

Agco to pause equipment deliveries to the U.S. amid tariff uncertainty – Agco has publicly stated its intention to pause equipment deliveries into the U.S. It manufactures some Fendt and Massey-Ferguson branded equipment in Germany and France, among other locations, for the North American market.

An assembly line worker tightens the lug nuts on the front tire of a Fendt tractor at an assembly plant in Germany.
Agco has publicly stated its intention to pause equipment deliveries into the U.S. It manufactures some Fendt and Massey-Ferguson branded equipment in Germany and France, among other locations, for the North American market. | File photo

Posted April 9, 2025

Trade war not going away, anytime soon – A veteran of political and policy battles in Washington, D.C. is convinced that the Trump vs. The World trade war will stick around — possibly for many months.

U.S president Donald Trump holds up a list of countries and the tariffs each would be charged while speaking in the Rose Garden April 2, 2025.
Greg Valliere, who has 40 years of experience in D.C., says that solutions and negotiations to end the tariff battles won’t happen until Republicans push back, hard, against President Donald Trump. | Screencap via x.com/@whitehouse

Trump changes course; Canada, Mexico now subject to 10 per cent tariffs – Canada and Mexico will be subject to the same 10 per cent tariff as many other countries, CBC reported Wednesday. The news came as U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he would temporarily lower new tariffs on many countries, even as he raised them further on imports from China, in a sudden reversal that sent U.S. stocks sharply higher.

A large, fully-loaded container ship leaves the dock at a busy container port in China.
The news came as U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he would temporarily lower new tariffs on many countries, even as he raised them further on imports from China, in a sudden reversal that sent U.S. stocks sharply higher. | Getty Images

Posted April 8, 2025

U.S. tariffs might help exports – The Trump tariffs that Canada’s agriculture sector had been fearing for months could turn out to be a big competitive advantage, say industry officials. U.S. President Donald Trump’s bark turned out to be worse than his bite.

U.S. president Donald Trump holds up a thick document entitled, "Foreign Trade Barriers" while speaking in front of a large American flag.
U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to apply an across-the-board 25 per cent tariff on Canada and Mexico on April 2. Instead, the White House announced that all goods covered by the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement would be exempt from broad tariffs the U.S. applied on most exporting nations. | Reuters photo

Posted April 7, 2025

Tariffs throw U.S., Canadian farm machinery manufacturers into turmoil – All around a recent farm show in Canada, equipment salespeople struggled to swing deals with farmers worried about tariffs. With some combines costing more than $800,000, a surprise price hike from a tariff would be a hit most farm budgets cannot easily take.

Yellow Delgelman Industries farm equipment on display recently at Canada's Farm Show in Regina.
As of late last week, Canadian farmers said they were unclear whether agricultural equipment is subject to the duties or to Canada’s retaliatory tariffs. Sorting out the details could take weeks. | Screencap via x.com/@DegelmanInd

Posted April 3, 2025

What do new widespread tariffs mean for Canadian agriculture and food? – Retaliation against new U.S. tariffs from key agricultural producing regions like China and the EU will be worth monitoring in coming weeks. That’s according to Farm Credit Canada chief economist JP Gervais in a LinkedIn post Thursday morning.

Trucks are lined up on a highway under as sign that reads, "U.S. Customs" as they wait to cross the border.
Mexico and Canada avoided fresh tariffs on Wednesday with President Donald Trump exempting the United States’ top trading partners from his new 10 per cent global tariff baseline, although previous duties remain in place. | File photo

Posted April 2, 2025

CUSMA-compliant goods maintain tariff exemption as Trump announces new duties – President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he would impose a 10 per cent baseline tariff on all imports to the United States and higher duties on dozens of the country’s biggest trading partners.

U.S president Donald Trump held up a list of countries and the tariffs each would be charged while speaking in the Rose Garden Wednesday afternoon.
U.S president Donald Trump held up a list of countries and the tariffs each would be charged while speaking in the Rose Garden Wednesday afternoon. Canada was not on the list. | Screencap via x.com/@whitehouse

Posted April 1, 2025

Canadian farm groups speak out on tariffs – If there was a common thread among producer groups Glacier FarmMedia canvassed regarding Canadian counter-tariffs, it’s that few were willing to talk about counter-tariffs. They instead shared their frustrations over U.S. President Donald Trump’s potentially comprehensive tariffs on Canadian goods and services.

U.S. president Donald Trump stands, pointing directly at the camera with his right index finger, in front of a row of U.S. flags.
Canadian farm groups prefer to talk about potential U.S. tariffs, rather than any retaliatory tariffs by Canada. | Reuters photo

Posted March 28, 2025

U.S. auto sector tariffs likened to scoring on their own net – The belief this tariff would seriously harm the auto industry in all three countries was reiterated by University of Toronto professor Dimitry Anastakis, who spoke on an Energy Media podcast on Thursday. “This is going to go down as one of the greatest own goals in economic and policy history. This is crazy.”

Ford F150 Lightning electric vehicles on an assembly line in an auto factory in the U.S.
The belief this tariff would seriously harm the auto industry in all three countries was reiterated by University of Toronto professor Dimitry Anastakis, who spoke on an Energy Media podcast on Thursday. “This is going to go down as one of the greatest own goals in economic and policy history. This is crazy.” | Screencap via x.com/@BobHolycross

Posted March 27, 2025

Manitoba invests up to $1.5 million to create tariff response program – The Province of Manitoba is investing up to $1.5 million in grant funding to the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) to create a made-in-Manitoba tariff response program, Premier Wab Kinew and Jamie Moses, minister of business, mining, trade and job creation announced on March 27.

Manitoba premier Wab Kinew speaks to reporters at the Gerdau Ameristeel plant in Selkirk, Man., March 27.
The new initiative aims to support local manufacturers by offering assistance and programming in response to tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump. Premier Wab Kinew was speaking at the Gerdau Ameristeel plant in Selkirk, Man., March 27. | Screencap via cpac.ca

U.S. announces 25 per cent additional tariffs on autos – It was entirely predictable. On Wednesday the fiasco surrounding the disclosure of details on the planned Houthi attack to the editor of The Atlantic continued to dominate the U.S. news cycle. To counter uncomfortable news like that, the trend we’ve seen from the U.S. administration is to make some other announcement that draws attention away from the current scandal in hope of downplaying it.

Car bodies move along an assembly line in a very modern factory.
It was unclear after the announcement how the tariff would be applied to the integrated North American auto sector, which builds sub-assemblies for autos in all three countries before they’re added to finished vehicles. | Getty Images

Posted March 25, 2025

Trump a significant distraction for the business of agriculture – It’s getting exhausting spending so much time and energy on a man whose whims could plunge all of Canadian agriculture into chaos.

U.S. president Donald Trump speaks from a lectern with the presidential seal on it.
“What’s frustrating about this situation is that everything, no matter how ridiculous it sounds, must be covered, especially when they stop being just hollow threats,” says Glacier FarmMedia reporter Jonah Grignon. | Reuters photo

Trump auto tariffs are coming, but not all levies will be imposed April 2, sending stocks higher – U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday automobile tariffs are coming soon even as he indicated that not all of his threatened levies would be imposed on April 2 and some countries may get breaks, a move Wall Street took as a sign of flexibility on a matter that has roiled markets for weeks.

Donald Trump speaks from a podium with the presidential seal on it at the White House.
At the White House, Trump told reporters not all the new tariffs would be announced on April 2, and said he may give “a lot of countries” breaks on tariffs, but provided no details. | Screencap via x.com/@WhiteHouse

Posted March 21, 2025

Tariffs called part of long game with trade negotiations – As the clock continues to tick to midnight April 2 on U.S. president Donald Trump’s month-long exemption on blanket tariffs to Canada that has left many ag industries at a standstill, one U.S. insider gave his thoughts at the 2025 Alberta Beef Industry Conference in Calgary on what he believes is the end game for the trade war.

John Sitilides, who specializes in U.S. government relations, geopolitical risk and international affairs, speaks to attendees at the Alberta Beef Industry Conference in Calgary recently.
John Sitilides, who specializes in U.S. government relations, geopolitical risk and international affairs, has been following Donal Trump’s actions since the mid-1980s when he first met him. | Greg Price photo

Posted March 19, 2025

Good communication key in trade war – The tariff threat may have eased for now, but cattle producers on both sides of the border should continue to prepare for what may yet come. Lance Zimmerman, senior animal protein analyst at RaboResearch, said the situation is fluid.

Cattle in a pen on a sunny day.
An analyst says the trade war with the United States illustrates just how global the beef supply chain has become. | File photo

Posted March 18, 2025

U.S. agricultural exporters worry about tariffs – Exporters of agricultural products in the United States are anxious about repercussions from simmering trade wars ignited by their president.

A variety of fruit, including kiwi fruit and peaches, sits in cases on display in a grocery story.
American exporters say the “Buy Canadian” campaign appears to have some teeth, noting that Canadians are angry and intent on not buying U.S. fruit and vegetables. | File photo

Tariffs continue to pressure canola prices – The Canadian canola market was hit with a double whammy of sorts March 7.

A combine harvests a ripe canola crop while a tractor pulling a grain cart is being filled by the combine's auger as it drives alongside.
Despite the presence of a “dead cat bounce” early in trading on March 13, there is little indication that canola will recover any time soon. | File photo

Unfair trade war burden must be shared equally – Canada’s ability to make sovereign decisions is under attack because of U.S. posturing and declining adherence to World Trade Agreement and bilateral trade agreements.

With beer drinking down in U.S., barley farmers now fear tariffs – Overdue loans and mounting interest payments often weigh on Montana barley grower Mitch Konen as he bales hay and loads trailers at his remote farm overlooking the snow-capped Rocky Mountains.

A field of ripe barley.
Montana barley grower Mitch Konen and other barley farmers worry tariffs will take away crucial export markets and increase the cost to grow the grains, even as sinking U.S. beer consumption has slashed demand for barley. | File photo

Posted March 17, 2025

Carney bypasses U.S. in first trip as Prime Minister – As the trade war rages and the U.S. administration continues to threaten Canadian sovereignty, it’s no surprise Carney is bypassing Washington and heading to Europe. It’s in an effort to, as he said in a speech last week, “create new trade corridors with reliable trade partners.” He emphasized the world “reliable.”

Prime Minister Mark Carney is warmly greeted by French president Emmanuel Macron on his first trip abroad as Canadian Prime Minister.
Prime Minister Mark Carney is warmly greeted by French president Emmanuel Macron on his first trip abroad as Canadian Prime Minister. | Screencap via x.com/@EmmanuelMacron

Posted March 13, 2025

Farm leader hopes for stronger trade once dust settles – Trade wars are erupting on multiple fronts for Canada, but there is hope that the future will bring steadier times for the agriculture industry when it comes to separating fact from fiction on the international stage.

A dairy cow looks at the camera from beneath a rail in an indoor pen.
Part of the challenge facing Canadians as they discuss trade with the United States is battling misinformation on products such as dairy. | File photo

Lutnick suggests U.S. to eventually make new bilateral trade deals – As NATO secretary general Mark Rutte sat quietly beside U.S. president Donald Trump in an Oval Office press conference March 13, the president declared that Canada, a key NATO nation, should willingly submit to American dominance.

NATO secretary general Mark Rutte met with U.S. president Donald Trump during an Oval Office press conference March 13.
NATO secretary general Mark Rutte met with U.S. president Donald Trump during an Oval Office press conference March 13. | Screencap via x.com/@WhiteHouse

Growers should flax interest amid canola turmoil – Statistics Canada has projected that flax acres will decline in 2025. That could happen, but with the trade and tariff uncertainty surrounding canola this winter, more growers are contacting Tyson Fehr and asking questions about the crop.

A field of blooming purple flax flowers.
Flaxseed prices have held up this winter, despite the market uncertainty and tariff chaos, but still remain volatile. | File photo

Tariffs mute Manitoba welcome for new potato processor – With a driving distance 234 kilometres south of Manitoba’s southern border, the recently announced Agristo potato processing plant in Grand Forks, North Dakota, should be exciting news for the province’s potato producers. However, that’s assuming a normal trade landscape.

A low-level photo of potato plants in a field.
Manitoba accounted for 47,900 tonnes of Canadian potato production in 2023-24, the most of any Prairie province. | File photo

Feeder market falls after U.S. tariffs announced – Once the U.S. implemented the blanket 25 per cent tariff on all Canadian products (excluding energy, which was 10 per cent) on March 4, feeder cattle markets dropped by $10 to $15 per hundredweight on average.

A cow buries its face in feed in a concrete bunk at a feedlot.
The implementation of U.S. tariffs from March 4-6 made Canadian feedlot operators realize that the tariffs are real, not just a threat, and a defensive tone is expected moving forward. | File photo

Posted March 12, 2025

Wheat exporters watch tariff threat – There are a number of developments in some of Canada’s top markets for wheat, according to a webinar hosted by Cereals Canada.

The mature and sophisticated American wheat market may be in jeapordy, but other markets for the Canadian crop continue to expand, such as Indonesia, Morocco and Bangladesh. | File photo

Counter tariffs threaten fertilizer prices – Canada’s proposed retaliatory tariffs could end up hurting the country’s grain farmers.

There is no domestic phosphate production in Canada, so farmers rely on imports, and the United States is the major supplier of the nutrient. | Reuters photo

Associations respond to retaliatory proposals – After imposing an initial $30 billion worth of counter tariffs, the Canadian government has published a detailed list of items to be included in a second round, estimated at $130 billion.

A row of identical red pieces of farm equipment on a dealer's lot.
“Almost everything is included in the Canadian tariff schedule — combines, harvesters, balers, nearly every piece of equipment — has been named in the counter tariffs,” says Nancy Malone, Canadian vice-president at the North American Equipment Dealers Association. | File photo

Aid or Trade? What do U.S. farmers want? – The United States is entering uncharted territory – a full-blown trade war with Europe, China, Canada, Mexico and a list of other nations.

U.S. agriculture secretary Brooke Rollins speaks with reporters at the Commodity Classic farm show in Denver March 2.
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has suggested that American farmers will be ‘made whole’ for damage damage caused by trade wars | Robert Arnason photo

Posted March 11, 2025

Trump hides behind emergency declaration on tariffs – The North American trade agreement signed only five years ago must be reviewed by 2026, but I don’t know why Canada would want to continue the process, given that U.S. president Donald Trump’s administration has shown it will not be constrained by any international agreement.

U.S. president Donald Trump speaks at a podium.
U.S. president Donald Trump is bullying his country’s trading partners using a clause in the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement and the U.S. International Emergency Economic Powers Act. | Reuters photo

Canola sector watches as many biofuel balls remain up in the air – I can’t recall a week in my 30-year reporting career at the Western Producer where I have heard the word “uncertainty” uttered more frequently. U.S. president Donald Trump’s on-again/off-again tariffs have everyone’s head spinning.

Canola seed flows from the box of a truck at an inland terminal.
“I feel particularly bad for those in the canola business because they are under siege on multiple fronts,” says WP reporter Sean Pratt. | File photo

Farmland rental agreements also upended by U.S. tariffs – Threatened U.S. tariffs may have been postponed until April, but many questions remain.

Posted March 7, 2025

China announces retaliatory tariffs on Canadian canola oil, peas and pork – China announced tariffs on Canadian agricultural and food products on Saturday, retaliating against levies Ottawa introduced in October on Chinese-made electric vehicles and steel and aluminium products.

A canola field in full bloom.
Chinese tariffs on Canadian rapeseed oil, oil cakes and pea imports, and a 25 per cent duty on Canadian aquatic products and pork are set to take effect on March 20. | File photo

Tariffs – where do we stand now? – It’s been hard to keep track of the whirlwind of U.S. tariffs, tariff start dates and tariff exemptions.

An overhead view of a car assembly line in North America.
On March 5, Trump exempted automotive goods from the 25 per cent tariffs set the previous day. | Getty Images

Tariffs Day 4 | Combing through the wreckage – While there’s been a reprieve on U.S. tariffs, the countdown is still ticking and the remaining bombs are still armed and ready to explode in less than a month’s time.

It’s unclear just how much border traffic will be affected by the current on-again off-again tariff situation. | Reuters photo

Federal government offers farmers relief but may not go far enough, says expert – Farmers can expect some relief from the U.S. tariff threat by way of a government investment in business protection measures, though the new initiatives may not go far enough.

A crop of wheat stands ready to harvest with a combine working in the background.
On Friday, theDepartment of Finance announced several investments meant to protect Canadian businesses, including $1 billion in financing through Farm Credit Canada (FCC). According to a news release, the money will help to reduce financial barriers in the agriculture sector. | File photo

Saskatchewan agriculture groups to host tariff, trade summit – A summit planned for the end of the month will bring together producers from across Saskatchewan to talk about critical agricultural issues. Tariffs and trade are at the top of the list.

A screencap of the promotional poster for the "Saskatchewan Ag Summit 2025" to be held March 27, 2025.
Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan president Bill Prybylski said eight groups have come together to host the summit in Saskatoon. Typically, APAS hosts a policy conference in conjunction with its spring board meeting, and this year the event is broader. | Screencap via apas.ca

Uncertainties overshadow national farm meeting – The president of Canada’s largest farm organization says people are anxious about looming tariffs and other uncertainties.

Canadian Federation of Agriculture president Keith Currie addresses delegates at the organizations' AGM last week.
Keith Currie said the Canadian Federation of Agriculture re-focused much of last week’s annual meeting agenda because of the tariff threat and our own government situation here in Canada. | Screencap via x.com/@CFAFCA

Posted March 6, 2025

Tariffs Day 3 – Donald sees the light — for now – The continuing soap opera-like saga of North American trade continued to unfold today with more ups, downs and unexpected twists than a telenovela.

The exemption, which will expire on April 2, covers both of the two largest U.S. trading partners. | Screencap via x.com/@WhiteHouse

Tariffs, trade dominate discussion at Canadian Crops Convention – Tariffs, trade and Trump were the talk of the town at the 2025 Canadian Crops Convention in Edmonton on Mar. 4-6.

Former Prime Minister Stephen Harper speaks alongside Tyler Bjornson in a fireside chat at the Canadian Crops Convention 2025 in Edmonton, Alberta on Mar. 6, 2025.
Former Prime Minister Stephen Harper speaks alongside Tyler Bjornson in a fireside chat at the Canadian Crops Convention 2025 in Edmonton, Alberta on Mar. 6, 2025. | Zak McLachlan photo

Trump delays tariffs for goods covered under Canada, Mexico trade deal – President Donald Trump on Thursday exempted goods from both Canada and Mexico under a North American trade pact for a month from the 25 per cent tariffs that he had imposed earlier this week, the latest twist in fast-shifting trade policy that has whipsawed financial markets and business leaders.

Screencap of U.S. president Donald Trump speaking before a joint session of congress on March 4, 2025.
The exemption, which will expire on April 2, covers both of the two largest U.S. trading partners. | Screencap via x.com/@WhiteHouse

Peak of the Market nagivates tariffs, consumer shifts – Manitoba-based Peak of the Market, a farmer-owned marketing board that sells Manitoba-grown vegetables in Canada, the United States, and occasionally overseas, is feeling the effects of tariffs and the push to buy Canadian.

Peak of the Market CEO Pam Kolochuk.
Peak of the Market CEO Pam Kolochuk. | Peak of the Market photo

National Farmers Union calls for ‘serious response’ to tariffs – In a recent press release, the farm group says “a serious response” is needed to the tariffs, but any retaliatory measures must consider and protect Canadian farmers, farm workers and consumers.

The Ambassador Bridge at sunset with a Canadian flag in the foreground.
In a recent press release, the farm group says “a serious response” is needed to the tariffs, but any retaliatory measures must consider and protect Canadian farmers, farm workers and consumers. | Getty Images

Mexico dodges U.S. tariffs temporarily – It appears U.S. tariffs on Mexico are off the table — for now — in President Donald Trump’s chaotic trade war.

In a post on the Trump-owned Truth Social, Trump wrote that “after speaking with President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico, I have agreed that Mexico will not be required to pay Tariffs on anything that falls under the USMCA agreement” and noted this was in effect until April 2. | Eneas De Troya/Creative Commons photo

Prairie manufacturers adjust to tariffs – In 2023, Saskatchewan exported about $834 million worth of agricultural equipment to the United States. A portion of those exports were straw choppers and weed seed control units, manufactured by Redekop at its plant near Saskatoon.

Trevor Thiessen of Redekop Manufacturing explains the company’s straw chopper to a farmer from Oregon at the Commodity Classic in Denver, Colorado, March 4.
Trevor Thiessen of Redekop Manufacturing explains the company’s straw chopper to a farmer from Oregon at the Commodity Classic in Denver, Colorado, March 4. Redekop and other Canadian manufacturers are adjusting to 25 per cent tariffs on goods exported to the United States. | Robert Arnason photo

Canada will be in trade war with US for foreseeable future, says Trudeau – Canada will continue to be in a trade war with the United States for the foreseeable future, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Thursday, a day after what he called a “colorful” call with President Donald Trump.

The American flag flies in front of the Capitol Building in Washington.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada would continue to engage with senior Trump administration officials about the tariffs, reiterating that his goal was to get the measures removed. | Getty Images photo: Getty Images

Prime Minister, premiers discuss how to improve interprovincial trade in face of tariffs – Canada’s Premiers and Prime Minister say it’s time to reduce barriers to interprovincial trade as U.S. tariffs take effect and threaten Canadian agri-food exports.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau meets with Canadian premiers January 15, 2025.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with Canada’s premiers Wednesday to discuss ways to strengthen Canada’s domestic economy. | Screencap via x.com/@JustinTrudeau

Value swings immense on cattle with imposed tariffs by U.S. – The tremors continue to be felt across Canadian agriculture following U.S. president Donald Trump’s earthquake announcement on Tuesday of a 25 per cent tariff on all Canadian products into the United States, excluding energy products, which will see a 10 per cent tariff.

A tractor pulling a feed mixer deposits hay on the snow for cattle on a cold winter day.
It is apparent in the Alberta beef industry that producers realize how small and tight-knit the industry is, a commonality shared across the U.S. border. | File photo

U.S. trade unavoidable; bigger domestic market would help – Canadians are again bemoaning our overwhelming trade dependence on the United States and asking ourselves why we don’t consume more of our own products and why we don’t sell more to other countries.

Hundreds of pedestrians walk along a street that has been closed to traffic to accommodate a street fair.
Further population growth, driven by smart immigration and a more business-friendly policy environment that promotes job creation and productivity, can produce a larger domestic market that lessens our reliance on exports. | File photo

Posted March 5, 2025

Tariffs Day 2 | Canadian agriculture remains in crosshairs – The full picture is still unclear as Canada’s agriculture sector continues to assess the potential damage of a tariff war with the U.S.

U.S. President Donald Trump made a lengthy speech to U.S. congress last night, which included a promise of more tariffs on Canadian goods coming on April 2. | Screencap via YouTube.com/The White House

VIDEO: Canadian Crops Convention offers hope on trade – The Canadian Crops Convention kicked off in Edmonton today, under the shadow of U.S. tariffs and Canadian counter-tariffs.

Erin Gowriluk of the Canada Grains Council.
Erin Gowriluk of the Canada Grains Council struck a positive tone, noting that many of the key issues of the grain sector remain aligned throughout North America. | Screencap via Zak McLachlan

Living month to month in the tariff era – Just one day after implementing an across-the-board 25 per cent tariff on all Canadian imports, U.S. president Donald Trump has changed his mind.

A car is hung in the air as it passes along an automated assembly line at an automobile factory in the USA.
The Big Three auto manufacturers will be exempted from paying 25 per cent tariffs, but only for 30 days. The need to pull back so quickly suggests there is no thoroughly thought-out plan underpinning the policy. | Getty Images

Mexico likely to seek more trade with Canada – Mexico may be shifting trade toward Canada, according to a Reuters news service report.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum sees more trade between Canada and Mexico following tariff hit. | Eneas De Troya/Creative Commons photo

Pork sector worries tariffs will hit labour pool – The Canadian pork sector is worried its limited labour pool may evaporate if tariffs slow down the sector in the coming months.

Pigs close together in an indoor pen.
Manitoba Pork is discussing the potential of using employment insurance as a tool to protect workers in the pork sector, said Joey Dearborn, the group’s communications co-ordinator. | Getty Images

Tariffs threaten Indigenous farmers, economic sovereignty says National Circle for Indigenous Agriculture and Food – U.S. tariffs pose a danger to Indigenous farmers and the economy sovereignty and food security of Indigenous communities, says the National Circle for Indigenous Agriculture and Food (NCIAF).

A screencap of the National Circle for Indigenous Agriculture and Food homepage showing several pairs of hands holding a variety of vegetables, some with dirt still on them.
Such trade barriers “threaten Indigenous agriculture, agri-food businesses, and the broader principles of fair and equitable trade,” NCIAF said in a news release today. | Screencap via nciaf.ca

“I love the farmer”: Trump pledges more tariffs on Canadian goods – U.S. President Donald Trump says he’ll impose more tariffs on Canadian goods on April 2.

Screencap of U.S. president Donald Trump speaking before a joint session of congress on March 4, 2025.
“April second, reciprocal tariffs kick in,” Trump said in his address to U.S. Congress Tuesday night. “Whatever they tariff us, other countries, we will tariff them, that’s reciprocal, back and forth.” He said this included “non-monetary barriers” used by other countries. | Screencap via YouTube.com/The White House

Farmers can play bigger role to boost Canada’s soft power – As Canada prepares for the worst when it comes to trade with the United States, forging stronger trading relationships with alternative markets is a top priority.

Posted March 4, 2025

Tariffs Day 1 | Trade war commences as Canadian agricultural sector braces – As of March 4, 2025 U.S. president Donald Trump’s threat of imposing a 25 per cent tariff on Canadian goods has become a reality.

A truck at the U.S. – Canada border. | File photo

Pork organizations in talks over how to shield Canadian farmers from tariff impacts – Pork industry groups across Canada say they’re engaged in serious discussions with the federal and provincial governments over how to protect producers as best they can from U.S. tariffs.

Three pigs in an indoor pen.
“The Canadian Pork Council is actively engaged in discussions with the federal government to assess the potential impacts of the U.S. tariffs on Canada’s pork industry,” said René Roy, chair of Canadian Pork Council, in an email to the Manitoba Co-operator. | File photo

Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance to push for free trade despite U.S. tariffs – The Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance says it will continue its advocacy for free and open trade in the agriculture and agri-food industries, despite the imposition of U.S. tariffs.

“We will not relent until order is restored to our integrated North American market,” said CAFTA president Greg Northey. | Screencap via cafta.org

Canada’s retaliatory tariffs should fund tax cuts says Poilievre – Canada must retaliate against U.S. tariffs, and retaliatory tariffs should fund tax cuts, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre said on Tuesday.

Pierre Poilievre
“First, we must retaliate,” Pierre Poilievre said today, “targeting American goods in the following order: A, goods that we can make ourselves; B, goods we don’t need; and C, goods we can get from elsewhere.”

Canadian Federation of Agriculture preparation focused on tariff exemptions, producer needs – The long-threatened U.S. tariffs are now in place, and Canada’s agriculture producers are bracing for the impact they will make on the industry.

A screencap from the Canadian Federation of Agriculture's homepage showing a Canadian flag and an American flag bunched together on a table.
During the Alberta Federation of Agriculture annual general meeting Mar. 3, Canadian Federation of Agriculture executive director Scott Ross said the CFA has been working for months on a plan to help support the industry and producers around the country, focusing on three main points. | Screencap via cfa-fca.ca

Keystone Agricultural Producers looks for support for Manitoba producers in wake of tariffs – Manitoba’s agriculture community will be directly impacted by the newly-imposed U.S. tariffs, and Keystone Agricultural Producers is making a plea to provincial and federal governments to step up and support agriculture producers who will bear the brunt of it.

A screencap of the Keystone Agricultural Producers' homepage.
“Today’s imposition of tariffs on Canadian goods entering the U.S. will do nothing but harm farmers and consumers on both sides of the border,” said KAP president Jill Verwey. | Screencap via kap.ca

Canola sector sees tariff pain ahead – The canola sector says U.S. tariffs will levy considerable economic pain throughout that value chain.

“The U.S. decision to go forward with 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian-grown canola and canola products will be felt across the canola value chain, with devastating impacts on farmers, input providers, canola crushing activities, and exports of canola seed, oil, and meal,” said Chris Davison, Canola Council of Canada (CCC) president and CEO, in a media release. | File photo

Trudeau pledges economic support in face of U.S. tariffs – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the federal government is working on supports for Canadians impacted by U.S. tariffs and seeking new markets for exports.

Trudeau told media on Tuesday morning that Canada would be moving forward with retaliatory 25 per cent tariffs on $30 billion worth of U.S. goods. Tariffs will be added on a further $125 billion worth of products in 21 days if the U.S. doesn’t back down. | Reuters photo

Grain Growers of Canada react to U.S. tariffs – Canadian grain farmers are bracing for significant economic hardship following the United States’ decision to impose a 25 per cent tariff on Canadian grain and grain products.

Close-up of ripe wheat heads.
The Grain Growers of Canada is now urging the Canadian government to take immediate action to eliminate the tariffs, highlighting the potential for widespread market instability, increased financial burdens on Canadian crop producers and increased food costs for American consumers. | File photo

Canadian Federation of Agriculture calls for federal action as tariffs take hold – The Canadian Federation of Agriculture is calling for the federal government to take immediate action to help farmers weather a continental trade war. “Canadian farmers cannot afford prolonged uncertainty,” said CFA president Keith Currie in a statement posted to X.

“Canadian farmers cannot afford prolonged uncertainty,” said CFA president Keith Currie in a statement posted to X. “It is in everyone’s best interest to resolve this dispute as quickly as possible.” | Screencap via x.com/@CanadaTrade

China hits US agriculture, says it won’t be bullied by fresh Trump tariffs – China retaliated swiftly on Tuesday against fresh U.S. tariffs with hikes to import levies covering USD$21 billion worth of American agricultural and food products, moving the world’s top two economies a step closer towards an all-out trade war.

“Trying to exert extreme pressure on China is a miscalculation and a mistake,” a foreign ministry spokesperson told a press conference in Beijing, adding that China had never succumbed to bullying or coercion. | Getty Images

Trump triggers trade war with tariffs on Canada, China and Mexico – U.S. President Donald Trump’s new 25 per cent tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada took effect on Tuesday, along with a doubling of duties on Chinese goods to 20 per cent, sparking trade wars that could slam economic growth and lift prices for Americans still smarting from years of high inflation.

The tariff actions, which could upend nearly $2.2 trillion in annual U.S. trade with its top three trading partners, went live at 12:01 a.m. EST (0501 GMT). | Getty Images

VIDEO: The risk of tariffs – some U.S. farmers get it and some don’t – Justin Sherlock farms near Dazey, a town in eastern North Dakota about 200 kilometres from the Canadian border. Like many producers in border states, Sherlock understands the risks to American farmers if Canada and the United States slide into a trade war.

Justin Sherlock, a farmer and soybean grower from North Dakota.
Justin Sherlock, a farmer and soybean grower from North Dakota, remains hopeful that politicians in Ottawa, Washington and Mexico City can resolve their differences over trade. Sherlock was one of about 11,000 people who attended the Commodity Classic, held March 2-4 in Denver, Colorado. | Robert Arnason photo

Posted March 3, 2025

Anti-tariff lobbyists struggle in Washington – A prominent lobbyist in Washington, D.C., who represents manufacturers of machinery and farm equipment in America is having little success with U.S. president Donald Trump’s administration on tariffs.

It’s a difficult time in America for lobbyists such as Kip Eideberg, who represents the Association of Equipment Manufacturers. The Trump administration is determined to impose tariffs on imports, regardless if it hurts industries like farm equipment manufacturers, Eideberg said at the Commodity Classic in Denver. | Robert Arnason photo

Trump trade threats compound global ocean shipping uncertainty – The global ocean shipping industry that handles 80 per cent of world trade is navigating a sea of unknowns as U.S. President Donald Trump stokes trade and geopolitical tensions with historical foes as well as neighbours and allies.

Shipping companies will be grappling with the ripple effects of increased protectionism, which could reduce international trade while weakening the negotiating position of massive container ship owners that have drawn robust profits and for years held the upper hand in pricing. | File photo

Ag trade deficit top priority for U.S. agriculture secretary – Brooke Rollins isn’t a rock star; she’s the secretary of agriculture in the United States. However, at 5 p.m.March 2, Rollins took the stage at the Commodity Classic in Denver, and as she walked toward the podium, about 2,500 farmers inside the Colorado Convention Centre leapt out of their seats and gave Rollins a standing ovation.

U.S. agriculture secretary Brooke Rollins speaks to the media at the Commodity Classic in Denver. Rollins says she is concerned about the United States’ trade deficit in agricultural goods and plans to do something about it | Robert Arnason photo

Posted February 28, 2025

Disruption in trade with U.S. expected to continue for years – One of Canada’s trade negotiators told farmers this week he expects ongoing disruption over the next few years as the Trump administration continues to stoke uncertainty.

U.S. president Donald Trump leaves the Marine 1 helicopter on the south lawn of the White House.
Many view U.S. president Donald Trump’s actions as chaotic, but one of Canada’s trade negotiators says an economic vision underpins them. | Reuters photo

Farmers make case for aid if tariffs imposed – Farmers from various Canadian agricultural sectors told federal officials this week the government must be prepared to help if and when tariffs take effect.

Farmers attending the recent Canadian Federation of Agriculture meeting suggested the government look at investing in trade corridors for more east-west traffic. | File photo

Motivations, solutions offered on tariff threat – Gary Mar, chief executive officer of the Canada West Foundation, did not mince words when he shared his thoughts on freshly inaugurated U.S. president Donald Trump during a recent presentation at the Farming Smarter Conference and Trade Show in Lethbridge.

Alberta premier Danielle Smith speaks during a news conference after Canadian premiers met with American officials in Washington, D.C., earlier in the month.
Alberta premier Danielle Smith speaks during a news conference after Canadian premiers met with American officials in Washington, D.C., earlier in the month. Gary Mar, chief executive officer of the Canada West Foundation, says he hopes the premiers used their time in the American capital to talk to legislators who are seeking re-election about the recent tariff threats made by president Donald Trump. | Reuters photo

China seeks debate at WTO on recent trade turbulence – China has called for a debate at the World Trade Organization on “trade turbulence” and how the global trade watchdog should respond in an apparent reference to tariffs launched or threatened by the United States.

A photo of the sign of the World Trade Organization on the building itself in Geneva.
U.S. President Donald Trump has announced sweeping 10 per cent tariffs on all Chinese imports, prompting Beijing to respond with retaliatory tariffs and to file a WTO dispute against Washington in what could be an early test of Trump’s stance toward the institution. | File photo

Canada urged to look beyond U.S. for trade – Canadians should get used to ongoing trade threats from the United States, a former diplomat said last week.

Semi trucks lined up on a highway in winter beneath a sign that reads, "U.S. Customs."
A former Canadian ambassador to the European Union says Canadian business is structured to take advantage of the U.S. market, but that has limited potential gains elsewhere. | File photo

Assessing fallout from potential tariffs not easy – A senior Farm Credit Canada economist said uncertainty is the name of the game when it comes to the economy.

Canada, USA and Mexico flags.
A senior Farm Credit Canada economist says the mechanics of tariffs are not straightforward or well understood, and every commodity and situation will be different. | Getty Images

Beef analysts fight tariff murk on fate of the cattle market – If market analysts have one common thread when they try to untangle the future of Canadian beef, should U.S. tariffs come into effect, it’s that the longer the tariffs go on, the worse it will be. Past that, the crystal ball gets hard to read.

The future of beef prices is in limbo as the sector watches the count down to U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest tariff deadline. | Lisa Guenther photo

Posted February 27, 2025

Federal agriculture minister visits Washington as tariff deadline looms – Canada’s federal agriculture minister spent the week in Washington, the government said today, as the target date nears for the U.S. to impose tariffs on Canadian goods.

Lawrench MacAulay spent this past week meeting with officials and agriculture industry representatives to talk up Canada’s value as a trading partner, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada said in a news release today. | Screencap via x.com/@L_MacAulay

Trump sows confusion on tariffs for Canada and Mexico, floats 25 per cent duty on EU goods – U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday raised hopes for another month-long pause on steep new tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada, saying they could take effect on April 2, and floated a 25 per cent “reciprocal” tariff on European cars and other goods.

American and Canadian flags fly side-by-side against a clear blue sky background.
Trump sowed confusion during his first cabinet meeting on Wednesday, when he was asked about the timing for the start of the duties for Canada and Mexico and replied that it would be April 2. | Getty Images

Posted February 26, 2025

Fat, feeder markets will face tariff hit – The effect of tariffs on the Canadian beef industry will depend on how high they are and how long they last, said well known cattle producer Kee Jim. But they will be ugly, he said.

Cattle in a pen look warily at the camera.
Canada exported 495,000 tonnes of beef last year worth about $5 billion. Of that, 374,000 tonnes, or 76 per cent, went to the United States. Between boxed beef and live cattle, 44 percent of total production goes south annually, which would be threatened by U.S. tariffs. | File photo

Trump-related ‘hyperanxiety’ is driving political shifts says pollster – A country gripped by “Trump-driven hyperanxiety is” seeing political shifts due to economic strain, says a Canadian pollster.

Nik Nanos, founder and chief data scientist for Nanos Research speaks at the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) annual general meeting about changing political attitudes in Canada caused by external trade threats and leadership changes.
Canadian opinion pollster Nik Nanos speaks at the Canadian Federation of Agriculture 2025 AGM in Ottawa. | Jonah Grignon photo

Posted February 25, 2025

The time has come to end interprovincial trade barriers – Governments occasionally decide to make a grand policy move that irrevocably changes the course of their countries’ economies.

Trade tensions highlight need to diversify, strengthen Canada’s food export markets says RBC – Canada’s agriculture industry could drive forward a new era of trade diversification, but the time to forge that path forward is now according to a new report.

Screencap of the RBC report entitled, "Food First: How Agriculture Can Lead a New Era for Canadian Exports."

Free trade is flawed, but protectionism is worse – The United States has delayed its 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian goods till the beginning of March, giving Ottawa a brief window to assess its economic response.

Trucks are lined up on a highway next to a sign that reads, "Entering Customs Area."
The author writes that strengthening the economy requires reinforcing free trade while addressing legitimate concerns about economic displacement. | File photo

Posted February 21, 2025

Federal Government to remove some barriers to interprovincial free trade – The federal government said today it will break down trade barriers between provinces by removing 20 out of 39 exceptions to the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA). The announcement comes at a critical time for Canadian trade, as the threat of 25 per cent U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods and reduced cross-border trade still looms.

A number of large tractor trailer units scattered among the traffic on a busy divided highway.
The announcement comes at a critical time for Canadian trade, as the threat of 25 per cent U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods and reduced cross-border trade still looms. | File photo

Nutrien says tariffs will lead to higher costs for U.S. farmers – Fertilizer producer Nutrien said on Thursday U.S. president Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs on Canadian imports will increase costs for American farmers.

Nutrien's Cory potash mine on a cold winter day.
Nutrien CEO Ken Seitz says the cost of pending U.S. tariffs on Canadian imports will be borne by U.S. farmers. | Paul Yanko photo

Posted February 20, 2025

Report ranks provinces by projected impact of broad U.S. tariffs – Alberta and Saskatchewan will be among the provinces hardest hit by U.S. tariffs, according to an assessment by the Conference Board of Canada.

The Feb. 19 report looks at the impact on individual provinces of 25 per cent U.S. tariffs on all non-energy imports. | Screencap via conferenceboard.ca

Posted February 19, 2025

Feeder market softens while waiting on tariffs – Feedlot operators are selling fed cattle fairly aggressively in an attempt to jump ahead of potential tariffs.

Feeder cattle eating hay in a feedlot.
Feedlot operators are selling fed cattle fairly aggressively in an attempt to jump ahead of potential tariffs. | File photo

Setting cattle aside may help buffer effects of U.S. tariffs – With a 25 per cent U.S.-imposed export tariff still hanging over their heads, Canadian beef producers are bracing for a market disruption not seen since BSE was found in a domestic cow in Alberta in 2003.

Black cattle stick their heads through a fence and eat chop from a concrete trough in a feedlot.
Under previous set-aside programs, finishing feedlot operators fed and maintained set-aside cattle with the financial support of government. | Canada Beef Inc. photo

Posted February 18, 2025

Trump’s trade war demands a radical response – U.S. president Donald Trump’s threat of a 25 per cent tariff on Canadian imports looms over the economy like a guillotine. If the blade drops, the country could be pushed into a deep recession, wiping out thousands of jobs and reversing decades of economic co-operation with the United States.

A hand holds a smart phone with the Starlink company logo on its screen while a photo of the blue and white earth from space is visible in the background.
The writer suggests that Canada’s options for responding to threatened U.S. tariffs could include targeting president Donald Trump’s inner circle, such as Elon Musk, whose businesses, including Starlink, Tesla and X (formerly Twitter), have interests in Canada that could be affected by government policy decisions. | Reuters photo

China in a weaker position to respond to Trump tariffs – Will China respond to U.S. president Donald Trump’s latest tariffs in the same way it did in 2018, by restricting its imports of American soybeans? As the U.S. president lashes out against friend and foe alike with his fixation on using tariffs to fight what he sees as unfair trade imbalances, it is nearly impossible to weigh all the consequences.

Multi-coloured shipping containers sit stacked 5-high on a dock, dawrfing three people walking on the pavement in front of them.
China’s response to recent U.S. tariffs has been modest and calibrated. It appears Beijing does not want to needlessly antagonize American president Donald Trump, allowing room to negotiate. | Reuters photo

Tariff crisis is not over yet: analysts – A couple of grain industry analysts believe Trump’s proposed tariffs will resurface. “I think the tariffs against Mexico and Canada are coming back,” Dan Basse, president of AgResource Inc., recently told World Grain.

An overhead shot of someone scooping flour out of a paper bag.
An agriculture economist says much of the flour, bakery items and other value-added products produced in Canada are sold to customers south of the border, and those processors will be the first “victims” of U.S. tariffs. | Reuters photo

We must respond to Trump but try to avoid escalation – The reason Canadian politicians are struggling to figure out U.S. President Donald Trump’s endgame is because he doesn’t have a grand strategy — other than his stated objective to make things so uncomfortable for Canadians that they join the United States.

Railway performance is in a bad way and likely to get worse – Both of our major railways are struggling to move grain in a timely fashion.

Grain cars wait on a rail line near a grain terminal.
The most recent ATC report is for crop week 26, which ended Feb. 1. At that point, the railways had not supplied more than 55 per cent of cars ordered by shippers for three consecutive weeks. | File photo

Posted February 13, 2025

U.S. bison ranchers rally against potential tariffs – One American farm group is speaking out against tariffs. The National Bison Association, based in Colorado, says the United States’ bison industry relies heavily on imported animals from Canada.

A bison stands sideways with its head turned and facing the camera. Others mull about in a pasture behind it.
The National Bison Association, based in Colorado, says the United States’ bison industry relies heavily on imported animals from Canada. | File photo

Posted February 12, 2025

Tariff pause means continued uncertainty for manufacturers – The postponement of tariffs on Canadian exports to the United States has farm equipment manufacturers left wondering how to proceed.

A SeedMaster air drill at work in a field.
It’s difficult for agricultural equipment manufacturers based in North America to plan their production targets with a potential trade war brewing between the U.S. and Canada. | SeedMaster photo

Tariffs at forefront of trade – Tariffs — or the lack thereof — were at the forefront of the North American grain and oilseed markets during the first week of February, with canola futures getting a boost from the last-minute pause to threatened U.S. tariffs on Canadian imports.

Canola sits in a steel grain bin.
The canola market climbed above $650 per tonne for the first time since November, with the next upside target from a chart standpoint $20 to $30 per tonne higher. The United States is a major buyer of Canadian canola oil, meal and seed, and there had been concern that U.S. trade threats would hamper that business. | File photo

Trump readies reciprocal tariffs as trade war fears mount – Donald Trump’s trade advisers were finalizing plans on Wednesday for the reciprocal tariffs the U.S. president has vowed to impose on every country that charges duties on U.S. imports, ratcheting up fears of a widening global trade war and threatening to add to already-sticky U.S. inflation.

Trump stunned markets with his decision on Monday to impose tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports beginning on March 12. The plans drew condemnation from Mexico, Canada and the European Union, while Japan and Australia said they were seeking exemptions from the duties. | Getty Images

Posted February 11, 2025

Trump takes Canada on a pointless roller coaster ride – Another week, another ride on the rollercoaster called U.S. president Donald Trump. By now it’s an all-too-familiar story.

Donald Trump
After all of this drama and uncertainty, with more promised for the future, what has any of this mayhem accomplished? What is the president trying to achieve? | Reuters photo

U.S. producers also keeping close watch on Trump’s policies – It isn’t only Canadian farmers who should be concerned about U.S. president Donald Trump and his policy plans. Despite solid Trump support in rural America, many of his stated policies will adversely impact U.S. farmers.

Pink potash moves along a conveyor belt in an underground mine.
Here in Canada, we continue to be on tariff watch, but Trump’s proposed tariffs would also hurt many aspects of American agriculture. Already, U.S. farm groups are calling for an exemption on Canadian potash because American farmers have few other viable sources. | Screencap via x.com/@MosaicCompany

EU, Canada and Mexico condemn Trump move to hike steel and aluminum tariffs – Mexico, Canada and the European Union on Tuesday condemned U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to impose tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports next month, a move that has fanned fears of a trade war.

A red hot piece of flat steel rolls along a conveyor in a steel factory.
The measures, which will take effect on March 12, will apply to millions of tons of steel and aluminium imports from Canada, Brazil, Mexico, South Korea and other countries that had been entering the U.S. duty free. | Getty Images

Tariff tensions stall forward contracts – Despite being paused for 30 days, concerns over tariffs coloured the commentary at this year’s Swine Seminar held recently in Winnipeg. “Given what’s happened this past week, I was hoping I could take the predictions part off of that presentation,” said Manitoba Pork general manager Cam Dahl.

Hogs bunched together in a pen.
Forward contracting for hogs was suspended when the current tariff crisis began to emerge, and industry leaders aren’t sure when it might resume. | File photo

Posted February 10, 2025

Canada seeks stronger EU trade ties as both regions threatened by Trump tariffs – Brussels | Reuters — Canada wants to deepen its economic ties with the EU and uphold global trading rules in the face of threatened U.S. tariffs, its trade minister Mary Ng told Reuters on Saturday.

Canada's trade minister Mary Ng shakes hands with EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic in front of two European Union flags in the background.
Canada’s trade minister Mary Ng met EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic for a lunch on Saturday following a meeting with Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the director general of the World Trade Organization in Geneva on Friday. | Screencap via x.com/@mary_ng

Trump expected to announce 25 per cent steel and aluminium tariffs in latest trade salvo – President Donald Trump is expected to introduce new 25 per cent tariffs on Monday on all steel and aluminum imports into the U.S., on top of existing metals duties, in another escalation of his shake-up of trade policy.

Coils on steel in a steel plant.
The largest sources of U.S. steel imports are Brazil, Canada and Mexico, followed by South Korea and Vietnam, according to government and American Iron and Steel Institute data. | Getty Images

Uncertainty rules as Canadian cattle industry faces tariff threat – Canadian producers returning from an American beef conference are no wiser about how their industry will be affected by possible American tariffs, said the past-president of the Canadian Cattle Association (CCA).

Graphic for the Cattle Con 2025 conference held in San Antonio, Texas recently.
Canadian beef industry representatives attended the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) CattleCon conference held in San Antonio, Texas, from February 4 to 6. | Screencap via convention.ncba.org

Posted February 5, 2025

Is Trump’s tariff pause an ongoing extortion attempt? – Speaking during a media scrum in the Oval Office on Monday, U.S. president Donald Trump provided yet another justification beyond border security for threatening tariffs against Canada and Mexico. “We have a trade deficit with Canada right now,” he said. “I look at some of these (trade) deals made and say, who the hell made these deals, they’re so bad.”

U.S. president Donald Trump stands, pointing directly at the camera with his right index finger, in front of a row of U.S. flags.
It looks like the border security excuse may simply be what the president needed to invoke presidential authorization to impose the tariff and usurp Congress’s authority over that area of governance. | Reuters photo

A belligerent U.S. is scary, but situation not hopeless – A new era of international trade is beginning as U.S. president Donald Trump prepares to launch trade wars, including with Canada. This isn’t something we should take personally. We are being drawn into a dispute that is not of our making. Nor is it an isolated event.

Prairie farmers must prepare for a protracted economic battle – The natural reaction is to strike back against American tariffs with tariffs of our own, but it’s like kicking the sandbox bully in the shins while he has you in a chokehold. What’s to stop president Donald Trump from ratcheting up American tariffs even further?

U.S. president Donald Trump.
What’s to stop president Donald Trump from ratcheting up American tariffs even further? Not much, except that when a tariff becomes prohibitive, it generates zero revenue. At least in the short term, it’s difficult to imagine Trump backing down. | Reuters photo

Posted February 3, 2025

U.S. tariffs on Canada delayed until March – A looming trade war between Canada and the United States set to begin Feb. 4 will be postponed for at least another month, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced via social media late Monday, Feb. 3.

Canadian and American flags fly next to one another, text on the image says, "Canada-U.S.: Largest trading partners."
Impending 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian imports to the U.S. and retaliatory Canadian measures were set to begin Tuesday, Feb. 4, but after a last-minute call between Trudeau and U.S. President Donald Trump the two countries will now pause their trade measures until March. | Screencap via x.com/@CanadaTrade

Trump tariffs mean Canadian whisky importers may pass costs to Americans – LONDON/NEW YORK, Feb 3 (Reuters) – Global makers of alcoholic drinks like Diageo DGE.L are caught in the cross-fire of a major trade war as U.S. tariffs deal a hefty blow to an industry already struggling with falling sales.

A variety of rye whisky bottles and glasses sit on a table.
Some analysts estimated brands of whisky could rise in price by as much as 10 per cent, threatening to hurt sales. | File photo

ICE canola futures rise on hopes tariffs can be avoided – WINNIPEG, Manitoba – Feb. 3 (Reuters) – ICE canola futures reversed course from weakness in the overnight market to steadily rise Monday on optimism U.S. tariffs can be avoided.

Canola seed flows from an auger with a bin in the background.
March canola settled up $2.40 at $640.50 per metric ton. Other contract months also rose. | File photo

Mexico, U.S. reach deal to delay tariffs for one month – MEXICO CITY/WASHINGTON/BRUSSELS (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump paused new tariffs on Mexico for one month after Mexico agreed on Monday to reinforce its northern border with 10,000 National Guard members to stem the flow of illegal drugs.

A U.S. flag on top of a Mexican flag.
The two leaders spoke by phone on Monday, just hours before U.S. tariffs on Mexico, China and Canada were set to take effect – steep levies that economists say would cause widespread economic harm, including raising prices for U.S. businesses and consumers. | Getty Images

Canada can’t afford to let its food sector be snatched in trade war – Canada’s food sector, which is this country’s largest manufacturing sector and one pivotal to our national security, is about to be kidnapped unless we come up with a strategy to protect it.

A large red maple leaf on a white background with the words, "Made in Canada" above it in english, and in french below.
Canada can’t afford to let its food sector be snatched in trade war. | Screencap via uline.ca

Farmers juggle mental health in face of Trump tariffs – Months spent under a hammer of threatened U.S. tariffs have been hard on farmers. According to one farm mental health advocate, the lack of clarity may be even worse for farmer mental states than confirmed bad news.

U.S. president Donald Trump speaks to the press at the White House.
Canadian agriculture was left in limbo around possible tariffs following U.S. President Donald Trump’s inauguration Jan. 20 and towards the start of February. | Reuters photo

Tariffs will be ‘devastating’ – U.S. President Donald Trump announced Feb. 1 he will implement threatened 25 per cent tariffs against Canada. Prime minister Justin Trudeau quickly announced retaliatory tariffs matching Trump’s at 25 per cent.

A grain truck with Manitoba plates drives on the highway near the U.S./Canada border.
The Canadian government has announced plans to impose its own tariffs on U.S. imports as soon as the American tariffs go into effect. | File photo

List of products from the United States subject to 25 per cent tariffs – Government of Canada

Posted January 31, 2025

White House says Trump to impose tariffs on Canada, others Saturday – U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday will implement tariffs of 25per cent on Canadian and Mexican imports and 10per cent on Chinese goods with immediate effect, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said on Friday.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks to the press.
“The President will be implementing tomorrow 25 per cent tariffs on Mexico, 25 per cent tariffs on Canada, and a 10 per cent tariff on China for the illegal fentanyl that they have sourced and allowed to distribute into our country, which has killed tens of millions of Americans,” White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told a White House Press briefing Friday. | Reuters photo

Geopolitics and uncertainty expected to shape the future – While 2024 wrapped up with a lot of anticipation, 2025 looks increasingly uncertain. That was the message from Ross Prusakowski, deputy chief economist with Export Development Canada, during the Canadian Soybean Harvest Update held late last month.

A mother holds the hand of her young daughter as they look into a store's window display in Munich.
Consumer spending in the United States is driving that country’s economy, but it’s not the same in other parts of the world, including Canada. | Reuters photo

Posted January 30, 2025

Ag sector urged to insure against tariff fallout – Stakeholders in the broad Canadian agri-food industry are grappling with the uncertain future of bilateral trade with the United States, based on a 25 per cent tariff on Canadian goods and services that U.S. president Donald Trump promised would come early in his second tenure in office.

Semi truck are lined up on a highway in winter next to a blue sign that reads, "Entering Customs Area."
Trade credit insurance can protect a company’s balance sheet against losses on their receivables stemming from buyer payment default or insolvency, which could apply to the tariffs threatening to derail exports to the United States. | Robert Arnason photo

Posted January 29, 2025

Rethinking Canada’s U.S. relationship – Robert Frost famously said, “good fences make good neighbours.” While this adage underscores the importance of respecting boundaries, it also invites reflection on the purpose of those fences and how they shape relationships.

A barbed wire fence runs over a hill and into the distance as cattle stand on each side of it.
The author writes that while good fences may make good neighbours, great partnerships make better futures. | File photo

Posted January 28, 2025

New trade policy suggested – REGINA — The pressures on Canadian agriculture point to the need for a forward-looking strategy, said panelists discussing whether the sector’s luck will run out this year. The immediate reaction to proposed tariffs from the United States was retaliation, but they said the situation could be the impetus for a strategy to take primary agriculture and food manufacturing to another level.

Delayed U.S. tariffs support feeder complex – For the week ending Jan. 25, western Canadian feeder markets were quite variable, trading $5-$10 on either side of unchanged compared to seven days earlier. Producer selling increased over the past couple of weeks, and sales volumes were larger than normal at many auction barns.

A herd of black cattle push their way to the feed trough in the foreground.
Cow-calf producers are expected to hold back 50,000 to 60,000 heifers for expansion this summer, thereby lowering the feeder cattle supply in Western Canada. | File photo

Trump-effect volatility will be a perennial market mover – On-again, off-again tariff talk kept agricultural markets on edge with the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump.

U.S. president Donald Trump speaks from a lectern with the presidential seal on it.
U.S. president Donald Trump had vowed to impose tariffs against imports from Canada on inauguration day, but the new deadline is now Feb. 1. | Reuters photo

Predicting the future of tariffs is not an easy thing to do – If you make your living as a forecaster of markets, nothing will humble you as much as dealing with political uncertainty. Agriculture markets have had their fair share of uncertainty from the political arena in the past decade.

Shipping containers sit stacked on the dock beneath large cranes with the mountains in the background at the Port of Vancouver.
As the tariff saga continues over the next few years, Canada is likely to see significant opportunities for its products in countries that are affected by U.S. tariffs. | File photo

Posted January 23, 2025

Tit-for-tat tariff retaliation called bad for meat industryGlacier FarmMedia – Cattle producers throughout North America have been holding their breath since President Donald Trump began his second term in office. They are hoping he will not go ahead with his threat to impose 25 per cent tariffs on all goods from Canada and Mexico, an additional 10 per cent tariff on all Chinese imports and a 100 per cent tariff on imports from the BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa).

Pig carcasses hang in a meat locker.
U.S. agricultural imports from Canada in 2023 totalled 23.6 million tonnes, worth $40.1 billion, with top commodities including beef, pork, dairy products, oats and canola oil. | File photo

Posted January 22, 2025

Analysts believe American tariffs are inevitable – REGINA — Canada’s livestock sectors have been anxious about the prospect of tariffs since Donald Trump won the American election in November. Dennis Laycraft, executive vice-president at the Canadian Cattle Association, said without knowing exactly what is coming, the organization could analyze the threatened tariffs only so much.

A group of hogs are close together in a pen.
A big question mark for hog producers and cattle feeders is whether packers will honour previously signed contracts. | Getty Images

Tariff threat already disrupting ag trade – WINNIPEG — In 2023, Canada shipped $8.6 billion worth of canola products to the United States. The vast majority of that was canola oil and meal, which was valued at $8.3 billion. However, those exports were disrupted in the first couple of weeks of January as canola crushers on the Prairies waited on the possibility of 25 percent tariffs on all products from Canada.

Canola plants in bloom photographed from below looking up to a gray sky.
If canola oil and meal buyers are wary of booking new shipments and that uncertainty continues through the winter of 2025, it could undermine the price for canola grown on the Prairies. | File photo

Politicians promise united front to fight American tariffs – Federal and provincial governments are presenting a united front to make sure threatened U.S. tariffs don’t go forward, according to prime minister Justin Trudeau. The tariffs proposed by U.S. president Donald Trump have left many Canadian producers worried and uncertain about the economic fallout.

Prime minister Justin Trudeau sits at a large round table with provincial premiers in front of a row of alternating provincial and Canadian flags along the wall in the background.
“We have made it very clear that everything is on the table as potential responses,” including a dollar-for-dollar response, Trudeau said Jan. 15 following the first ministers’ meeting in Ottawa. | Screencap via x.com/@JustinTrudeau

U.S. tariff squeeze promises to be a messy affair – Imagine squeezing a ripe tomato in the palm of your hand. Some juice squirts out. More juice runs down your arm with the tomato looking very different from when you started. This is being written just ahead of President Donald Trump’s inauguration and threatened tariffs, but if he follows through on his threats, business will react to the pressure.

A man's hand is holding a squashed tomato with juice and seeds all over his hand and wrist.
Ramifications of a tariff squeeze are difficult to predict, but like a squashed tomato, it will be messy. | Getty Images

Tariffs could heat up ‘boring’ potash market – ST. JEAN, Man. — The global market for potash is stable and somewhat “boring,” says a market watcher. However, that could change soon if U.S. president Donald Trump imposes tariffs on Canadian potash.

A worker wearing blue safety overalls, a hard hat and hearing protection collects a sample of potassium fertilizer from a huge pile of the substance inside a mine's dome-shaped storage area.
Canada exports about seven million tonnes of potash to the United States, supplying about 80 per cent of the demand for potassium fertilizer in that country. | File photo

Demand surges for beef and live, feeder cattle – For the week ending Jan. 18, western Canadian feeder cattle markets were relatively unchanged compared to seven days earlier. U.S. president Donald Trump was inaugurated Jan. 20, and feedlot operators are concerned about potential tariffs on fed cattle and beef products.

Two rows of sides of beef hang in a large refrigerated meat locker.
Beef prices usually soften in January and February, but values are moving in a contra seasonal trend this January. | File photo

Tariff barriers affect trade flows more than they do prices – Canada has dodged import tariffs for now, but we should be vigilant because we are likely to see them imposed in the coming months.

A close-up of a single head of ripe wheat with the rest of the golden crop out of focus in the background.
Canadian wheat exports to the U.S. and/or Mexico from primary elevators are at a record 698,400 tonnes for the crop year to Jan. 12. | File photo

Rural America has enough problems; why create new ones? – On Jan. 7, the day after Congress certified Donald J. Trump’s election as the next president of the United States, the U.S. “Border Patrol conducted unannounced raids throughout Bakersfield, (California) … descending on businesses where day labourers and field workers gather.”

In a field, migrant workers place cauliflower onto a conveyor belt that leads to a machine where other workers place the plants into boxes. There is a Mexican flag flying above the machine.
Rural America has a slew of problems in need of attention by Congress and the incoming administration. Creating new, widespread and unsolvable ones such as massive labour shortages in the citrus, vegetable, meat-packing and dairy sectors is a reckless, agricultural recession-inducing act. | File photo

Threat of tariffs has beef producers in sell mode – The threat of sweeping tariffs has weighed heavy over Canadian industries since the U.S. election, and the cattle industry is no exception.

A line of trucks pulling cattle trailers snakes into the distance.
Producers endured long lineups Jan. 13 to deliver cattle to the North Central Livestock Exchange near Clyde, Alta. | Les Dunford photo

Posted January 21, 2025

Manitoba Ag Days: More canola to Europe, but tariffs loom large — analyst – BRANDON — The possibility of U.S. tariffs is a massive threat to canola growers since 95 percent of canola oil crushed at Canadian processing plants is exported to America.

A photo of vegetable oil analyst David Mielke as he appeared on screen via Zoom at Manitoba Ag Days.
The threat is real, but there could be other outlets for canola this winter and spring, which should be supportive for price, says a vegetable oil analyst from Germany. | Robert Arnason photo

Trump says tariffs planned for Feb. 1; Trudeau says everything on the table for responseGlacier FarmMedia – After making no move to impose tariffs against Canada on his first day in office, U.S. President Donald Trump has signalled his intention to bring the promised economic measures into effect at the start of February.

Canadian and American flags fly next to one another, text on the image says, "Canada-U.S.: Largest trading partners."
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reaffirmed his statement that “everything is on the table” to respond to Trump’s tariffs at a Tuesday morning press conference, including a dollar-for-dollar response. | Screencap via x.com/@CanadaTrade

Posted January 20, 2025

No immediate tariffs means more time to engage, prepare say ag, food leadersUPDATED: January 21, 2025 – 0955 CST to include comments from president Donald TrumpGlacier FarmMedia – No immediately-imposed tariffs means more time to engage with American officials on the importance of free trade and to prepare for future negotiations say agriculture industry groups say.

Tariff threat eases for now; Feb. 1 new deadline UPDATED: January 21, 2025 – 1310 CST – WINNIPEG — U.S. president Donald Trump didn’t impose 25 per cent tariffs on Canada and Mexico yesterday on his inauguration day, but said later in the day that he will likely do so by Feb. 1.

A tractor spreads hay for cattle on cold winter day.
“Everybody, on both sides of the border, has let out a breath of relief,” said Nathan Phinney, president of the Canadian Cattle Association. | File photo

Trump inflation fears ease – SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (Reuters) — A number of leading economists, including advisers to past U.S. presidents, have coalesced around the view that president-elect Donald Trump’s plans to broaden tariffs, cut taxes and curb immigration may not prove as inflationary as early analysis had suggested.

Canadian tariff response called poorly handled – REGINA —Donald Trump’s promise to impose tariffs on all imports from Canada and Mexico could affect potash prices for American farmers.

Two train locomotives pull Canpotex cars loaded with potash westward toward the mountains in the distance.
The president-elect takes office Jan. 20 and has said 25 per cent tariffs are coming on all products. However, a tariff on potash could place his own farmers at a disadvantage because they rely on potash, particularly for corn crops. | File photo

Provincial-state groups work to ease tensions – WINNIPEG — Canada’s agriculture industry is in a Sword of Damocles situation. What might prevent the sword from dropping, or limit the damage, are the associations and informal groups that have built strong relationships between state and provincial legislators in the two countries.

American and Canadian flags fly side-by-side against a clear blue sky background.
Leaders within America’s agriculture and food sector could have something to say about Trump’s tariffs. Canada is the No. 2 market for U.S. agricultural exports with sales of US $28.4 billion in 2023, using data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. | Getty Images

Trump won’t impose tariffs immediately, reports suggest Glacier FarmMedia – U.S. president-elect Donald Trump will not impose threatened tariffs on Canadian goods immediately, according to several U.S. reports. The news came within hours of Trump being sworn in as 47th President of the United States.

Donald Trump delivers his inauguration speech while outgoing president Joe Biden and vice-president Kamala Harris are seated to his left.
According to a Reuters report, an unnamed Trump official confirmed the president will not impose tariffs immediately upon taking office and will instead issue a memo to “direct agencies to investigate and remedy persistent trade deficits and address unfair trade and currency policies by other nations.” | Screencap via x.com/@realDonaldTrump

Posted January 17, 2025

Tariffs expected to hurt loonie, then greenback – With Donald Trump set to become president of the United States on Monday, uncertainty continues to swirl around his threat to impose a 25 per cent tariff on all goods that the U.S. imports from Canada and Mexico. Should Trump press ahead with his levies, the Canadian dollar would be caught up in the collateral damage.

Tariffs add to ‘perfect storm’ for ag equipment dealers – The uncertainty surrounding the threat of substantial tariffs on key U.S. trading partners has North American businesses on edge. That is especially true for agricultural equipment manufacturers and the dealers that retail their products.

A long line of identical red farm machinery lined up in a dealer's lot.
The uncertainty surrounding the tariff threat has farm equipment dealers in both the U.S. and Canada feeling uneasy. | File photo

High-protein wheat expected to survive tariffs – A 25 per cent tariff on all Canadian goods exported to the United States would be painful, say market analysts, but some agricultural sectors,, such as canola, may feel it more than others. Meanwhile, high-protein wheat classes such as Canadian Western Red Spring (CWRS) may survive the new world order of international trade.

A close-up photo of ripe spring wheat heads.
High-protein wheat classes such as Canadian Western Red Spring (CWRS) may survive the new world order of international trade. | File photo

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