Pork industry optimistic about trade agreement

Nov 02, 2016

Ontario Pork and the Canadian Pork Council release their positions on EU trading opportunities

By Jennifer Jackson

National and provincial pork industry leaders express confidence in Canada’s recent trading agreement with the European Union.

The Canadian Pork Council (CPC) welcomes the recent signing of the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), according to a release.

The agreement will allow tariff-free trading of processed pork products between Canada and the EU. Exporters will follow an 80,000 tonne pork quota, implemented over the next five years.

Market opportunities are important to the success of Canada’s pork industry, according to Rick Bergmann, CPC chair.

CPC chair, Rick Bergmann

“Canada is a globally competitive producer and exporter of pork and pork products. We have worked hard to develop a global reputation as a reliable supplier of safe, wholesome, high-quality pork,” Bergmann said in a release on Oct. 30. “The key to sustaining our success, however, is the ability to access a wide variety of markets.

“The Canadian and EU markets for pork complement each other and while this relationship holds great promise, we look forward to the government officials resolving the outstanding technical barriers that limit our ability to capitalize on what was achieved,” added Bergmann.

Ontario Pork Producers’ Marketing Board shares similar optimism on the trade deal.

“Ontario Pork is pleased by the signing of the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement and sees this as a first step in a new global partnership,” says Amy Cronin, chair of Ontario Pork. “We encourage our government to continue to address remaining technical barriers, which would allow Ontario pork farmers greater access to EU member countries.”

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau signed the Canada-EU trade deal on Oct. 30.

Video: Dr. Emerson Nafziger: Nitrogen Fertilizer Rates for Corn

The Crop Science Podcast Show, Dr. Emerson Nafziger from the University of Illinois breaks down decades of nitrogen research. From the evolution of N rate guidelines to how soil health and hybrid genetics influence nitrogen use efficiency, this conversation unpacks the science behind smarter fertilization. Improving how we set nitrogen fertilizer rates for rainfed corn is a key focus. Discover why the MRTN model matters more than ever, and how shifting mindsets and better data can boost yields and environmental outcomes. Tune in now on all major platforms!

"The nitrogen that comes from soil mineralization is the first nitrogen the plant sees, and its role is underestimated."

Meet the guest:

Dr. Emerson Nafziger is Professor Emeritus of Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, with degrees in agronomy from Ohio State, Purdue, and Illinois. His research has focused on nitrogen rate strategies and crop productivity. He co-developed the Maximum Return to Nitrogen (MRTN) model, which is widely used across the Midwest. His research spans N response trials, hybrid interactions, crop rotation effects, and yield stability.