2016 Senate Report Warned of Current Challenges

Mar 20, 2025
By Denise Faguy
Assistant Editor, North American Content, Farms.com

Senate urged the government to reduce dependence on the U.S. market

In 2016, during the first Trump term as US President, the Senate Committee on Banking, Commerce, and the Economy advised dismantling internal trade barriers to enhance economic growth.

It also urged the government to reduce dependence on the U.S. market and implement tax reforms to prevent businesses from relocating.

The Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade emphasized strengthening ties with Mexico and recognized the need for free-trade agreements amid rising protectionism.

Years before the “Buy Canadian” movement gained momentum, the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry identified increasing demand for domestically produced goods. It also pointed out the untapped opportunities in the value-added food sector, which could contribute significantly to Canada’s economy.

To address export challenges, the committee conducted an extensive study, consulting over 500 industry experts, farmers, and processors. Their findings aimed to support agricultural businesses in expanding their global reach.

With the right policies, Canada’s agricultural sector and trade strategies could enhance economic stability and growth. More insights can be found through reports Made in Canada: Growing in Canada's Value Added Food Sector and Canadian farmers need greater access to foreign markets to thrive.

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.