'Everybody's gotta eat,' farmers say as they navigate tariff uncertainties

Mar 06, 2025

The Canadian agriculture industry is trucking on as usual, even with a trade war between Canada and the United States underway.

Several farmers, producers and manufacturers who gathered at the London Farm Show at the Western Fair District on Wednesday told CBC News they are confident that their industry will persist, despite economic threats and uncertainty.

"Everybody's gotta eat three times a day, so who produces that food? Farmers," said Daniel Cote, a farmer from Quebec who works for agricultural machinery company Case IH.

"We never get that affected by anything that goes on in the world," said Cote, referencing the COVID-19 pandemic and war in Ukraine. "Farmers get up every morning and they farm."

U.S. president Donald Trump's 25 per cent tariffs on virtually all Canadian imports took effect on Tuesday. Ottawa has responded with counter-tariffs on an initial $30 billion worth of American goods.

Many farmers who spoke to CBC News said they are taking a "wait and see" approach to the tariffs, with some adding that they think the trade war will be resolved sooner than later.

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