The words were blunt from the Americans last week: wherever the Canadian Wheat Board is in the future, the U.S. will battle it with export subsidies.
Our front-page story on this declaration comes from our special reports editor Barry Wilson, who attended a conference of the International Federation of Agricultural Producers in Washington, D.C.
His stories show that U.S. aggression continues against Canadians, despite a new General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade and the free trade agreement between the two countries.
Wilson was in Washington researching the upcoming U.S. farm bill: the politics behind it and the farmers affected by it. Look forward to his special report in the June 1 issue of The Western Producer.
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Why did we send someone to the U.S. to cover the farm bill?
Unfortunately, what is being said thousands of miles away will continue to influence farm policies here and affect international trade.
The bottom line is a farmer from the Canadian Prairies will be ultimately affected by the politicians in the U.S. who attract votes in their states through outrageous, unsubstantiated accusations against Canadian wheat farmers and their legitimate selling agency.
Reading through our files, I came across a story done by our reporter Adrian Ewins in January 1994. Dick Dawson, past president of Cargill Ltd., was warning of nasty trade disputes continuing despite a new GATT.
He said the Americans would look at every harassing tactic imaginable to retain world market advantage.
He added that concepts like integrity and spirit of intent are “worthless words.”
“The Yankee trader is a formidable opponent and we must learn quickly how the game is played,” Dawson said.
It’s a dirty game, as the Americans reveal – and someone has to cover it. That someone is The Western Producer.