“Producers are weeks away from planting the 2019 crop, and a trade issue with our largest Canola seed customer is a very disturbing development and creates a lot of economic uncertainty for growers,” said APAS Vice President Ian Boxall, who farms near Tisdale.
“This isn’t just an issue for rural Canada or Western Canada,” Boxall explained. “Canola exports contribute 25 billion dollars to the Canadian economy and hundreds of thousands of jobs. It’s our number one cash crop, and the future viability of our sector depends on trade access and trade normalcy.”
Boxall noted that trade issues with China are compounding a recent billion-dollar loss in exports from commodities like pulses, and a further reduction in overall farm income is very worrying.
“Canadian producers make a very large contribution to Canada’s economy, and this is the time for our elected officials to step up and use every possible avenue to resolve these very serious issues,” Boxall concluded. “And it highlights the need for better business risk management programs to ensure producer viability and protect the economy.”
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