MP's heard firsthand from farmers whose profits are on the line because of the canola issue with China.
Gladys Ridge area farmer Roy Newman was one of the producers who joined Foothills MP John Barlow in Ottawa on Tuesday, April 9 to testify before the House of Commons Standing Committee on International Trade.
Newman says Chinese importers no longer buying Canadian canola seed will take its toll on his operation's bottom line.
He says canola is not moving which is creating a backlog where prices will fall accordingly.
"If they don't get it fixed, or get something in the futures that are moving to give people some positive information, we're going to have a lot of trouble in the whole industry, and it's going to ripple right down to other grains when people switch out."
He says farmers switching canola plantings to other crops, such as barley or wheat, could flood those markets as well.
However, Newman says this trade dilemma hasn't had a big impact on what crops he'll be planting in the near future, as a lot of work goes into planning crop rotations which manage weeds, diseases and improve soil fertility.
"Hopefully they look at the Standing Committee's report and take something from it," he said. "Maybe we'll have to go the retaliatory route where we have to go back after them (China) for some of their exports too, because we do have a deficit with them."
When asked why it's important to get involved and speak on behalf of farmers, Newman replied it's easy to sit back and complain, but if called upon, you need to speak up for your industry.
Source : Discoverairdrie