Parliament should make the legislation a fall priority, the Canadian Meat Council said
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
The organization representing Canada’s meat industry wants the federal government to pass important trade legislation quickly after it returns from summer recess.
Passing Bill C-79 and ratifying the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) should be a priority in September, the Canadian Meat Council (CMC) said.
CPTPP will eliminate tariffs on some Canadian beef and pork exports to Japan and Vietnam.
Between 2014 and 2016, Canada exported about $6.9 billion worth of ag products to the CPTPP member nations.
The trade agreement between Canada and the other 10 countries provides several opportunities for growth, said Chris White, president and CEO of the CMC.
The CPTPP “opens up some potential new markets in a way that historically Canada has not exported to and, because we are a signatory to a deal, it gives us very favorable terms,” he told Farmscape yesterday.
Another reason for the House of Commons to quickly pass Bill C-79 involves trade competition.
The sooner Canada officially enters the agreement, the sooner Canadian meat can enter member country markets.
Any delays in ratifying the CPTPP can lead to a decreased market share.
If Canada isn't involved in the early stages of the trade agreement, it may not have the same opportunities in the later stages.
Countries aren’t “necessarily going to be inclined to open up market share for (Canada) in a way that if (Canada) was one of the first countries to be exporting to them under the CPTPP,” White said.
Farms.com has reached out to the Canadian Meat Council for further insight into the opportunities under CPTPP.