Government of Canada Supports Grains and Oilseeds Exports Around the World

CALGARY, July 11, 2019 /CNW/ - Today, Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, announced an investment of more than $13 million for a variety of projects that will help to strengthen, diversify and grow Canada's grains and oilseeds exports. 

These investments will help Canada's agricultural and agri-food exporters in their efforts to diversify markets, positioning them to take full advantage of new opportunities created through the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). Combined with Canada's other free trade agreements, Canadian farmers and producers with preferential market access to an estimated 1.5 billion consumers in more than 50 countries.

This funding will help the sector to strengthen its market access and development strategies, enhance promotional efforts, and gain a deeper understanding of the growing demands for new and existing markets.

The projects are funded through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership's AgriMarketing Program, which helps industry increase and diversify exports to international markets and seize market opportunities. The program supports industry-led promotional activities that differentiate Canadian products and producers, and leverage Canada's reputation for high quality and safe food.

Quotes

"By helping our grain and oilseed industries increase international demand for our high‑quality products, we are creating opportunities for our hardworking producers to take full advantage of new trade agreements with key markets."
-  Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

"Our government is committed to diversifying trade and opening new markets for Canadian exporters - including Canada's farmers. Our high-quality agriculture and agri-food products are in demand around the globe and we want to help our farming families to make the most of that."
-  Omar Alghabra, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Trade Diversification

"This announcement is another encouraging step towards building our brand of higher protein Canadian feed barley in the Chinese market. We would like to thank the federal government for their commitment, and reiterate our enthusiasm for building upon our past successes."
-  Zenneth Faye, Chair, Barley Council of Canada

"Today's announcement to invest in getting the most for canola exports helps to maintain the foundation of our industry. This joint industry and government investment will support our efforts to maintain and grow our access to international markets, as well as building the reputation of canola around the world. With more than 90% of our canola exported as seed, oil or meal, getting the most from international markets drives our industry."
-  Jim Everson, President, Canola Council of Canada

"The flax industry knows that when exports are strong, so is our industry. Our members have stepped up to invest alongside government to grow our exports. Working cooperatively with our industry partners, we look forward to our projects delivering improved access for Canadian flax to our most important export markets."
-  Erwin Hanley, Chair, Flax Council of Canada

"The vision of the Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre is to ensure Canada is a leader in supplying high-quality malting barley to the global malting and brewing industries, meeting the needs of customers around the world. Funding from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's AgriMarketing program, which matches our member funding, is critical to the successful market development work conducted by the CMBTC in the international market place. Domestic and export sales of Canadian malting barley and processed malt are worth $1 billion annually and growing, with a vibrant barley value chain at work in Canada to supply a premium product to the global malting and brewing sectors."
-  Peter Watts, Managing Director, Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre

"The Canadian pulse and special crops industry is heavily reliant on export markets and challenges in even one or two countries can have a massive impact on growers and the trade. Through the partnership between the Canadian Special Crops Association and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, we can ensure that we're proactively addressing issues before they result in a market closure, and minimizing the impact they'll have on growers and trade. In addition to addressing trade issues, the growers from the pulse, special crops, cereals and canola industries know that in order to compete effectively in the markets we serve today and the markets we're expanding into for tomorrow, we need an efficient and reliable transportation system that'll grow with the industry.  The partnership between the Ag Transport Coalition and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada ensures that we have objective and credible information on the capacity and the service that's being provided to the industry so that all stakeholders can focus on the improvements that'll be needed to meet all of our customers' needs consistently and reliably."
-  Quinton Stewart, President, Canadian Special Crops Association

"Funding from the Canadian Agricultural Partnership program is helping Canadian farmers and exporters build and maintain markets through initiatives like the Keep it Clean program, the annual "Team Canada – Wheat" new crop missions to key markets around the world. Assistance is also helping to open new market opportunities for the Canadian Prairie Spring and Winter Wheat classes."
-  Cam Dahl, President, Cereals Canada

"The Prairie Oat Growers Association (POGA) is very grateful for the AgriMarketing funding to increase exports to both Mexico and China. Currently over 85% of Canadian oat exports go to the USA. The USA is a great market for our oats but diversification is key to reducing reliance on one market and increasing stability for our producers. Since funding to increase Canadian oat exports to Mexico began in 2015 Canada has been able to more than double their Mexican oat exports. This continued funding, as well as funding towards work to secure market access for raw oats to China, is key to the success of Canadian oat producers."
-  Jenneth Johanson, President, Prairie Oat Growers Association (POGA)

"Moving 25% of Canada's pulse production into new markets and new uses by 2025 is a priority for our industry. Pulses are well positioned to take advantage of the growing demand for plant protein and because we're investing in creating knowledge on the functionality, nutrition and sustainability attributes of our pulses, there's a real opportunity to establish a unique advantage for Canadian pulses. The partnership between Pulse Canada and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada is critical to our effort to establish that unique Canadian advantage and to create new demand amongst food manufacturers and foodservice industries around the world."
-  Allison Ammeter, Chair, Pulse Canada

"As the national industry association representing the various components of the soybean and soy products value-chain, including seed development, production, handling, processing, transportation, and exportation, Soy Canada sincerely thanks Minister Bibeau and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada for announcing support of Soy Canada today. The soy sector has realized incredible growth over the past decade and this funding will allow us to keep the momentum of growth rolling as we plan to once again double our soybean production in the coming years. Growing our exports will allow us to achieve our goals and in particular this funding will allow us to expand existing international markets by undertaking market development missions to key European markets, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, and Taiwan."
-  Ernie Sirski, Chair, Soy Canada Inc

Quick Facts

• With CETA's provisional application, almost 94% of the EU agricultural tariff lines are now duty-free, including tariff lines for Canadian cereal preparations and processed pulse products.
• The CPTPP entered into force for Canada on December 30, 2018, providing new opportunities for Canadian exporters of agriculture and agri-food products. Tariffs have already been eliminated or reduced on a wide range of Canadian agricultural exports, including beef, pork, grains, pulses, and a variety of agri-food products.
• Canada's agri-food and seafood exports reached some 200 countries and territories in 2018, with 38 of them receiving over $100 million in exports from Canada, and 56 receiving over $50 million.
• The Canadian Agricultural Partnership is a five-year, $3 billion investment by federal, provincial and territorial governments to strengthen the agriculture and agri-food sector.

Associated Links

• Canadian Agricultural Program (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada)
• CETA for Agri-Food Exporters (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada)
• CPTPP for Agri-Food Exporters (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada)
• Barley Council of Canada
• Canola Council of Canada
• Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre
• Canadian Special Crops Association
• Cereals Canada
• Prairie Oat Growers Association
• Pulse Canada
• Soy Canada

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Backgrounder

Projects announced today total $13,229,460 for 11 projects and support the efforts of eight of Canada's national grains and oilseeds organizations, including:

Barley Council of Canada: Up to $210,870 to continue working towards the establishment of a market for higher protein Canadian feed barley in China.

Canola Council of Canada: Up to $4,088,786 to increase canola exports internationally, and work on behalf of the flax sector to expand market reach for flax. Activities include educating priority markets and conducting trade missions.

Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre (CMBTC): Up to $1,448,178 to enhance Canada's status as a supplier of premium quality barley to global malting and brewing industries, benefiting the entire Canadian malting barley value chain. Activities will include conducting research to better understand markets and giving customers technical training of their malting and brewing equipment.

Canadian Special Crops Association:  Up to $2,917,275 to build demand for crops such as canary seed, sunflowers and mustard, as well as to develop market access strategies and enhance supply chain performance.

Cereals Canada Inc: Up to $894,323 to secure global markets for cereals by strengthening the Canada Brand for wheat through understanding of customers' expectations, educating customers about Canadian wheat and exploring untapped market potential.

Prairie Oat Growers Association: Up to $450,450 to increase and diversify exports by promoting the health benefits of oats through activities such as the use of social media and trade missions to strengthen relationships with nutritional experts.

Pulse Canada: Up to $2,907,622 for activities such as marketing the nutritional content and sustainability benefits of pulses to the food manufacturing and foodservice sector in high use regions.  

Soy Canada Inc: Up to $311,956 to continue the momentum of growth in the Canadian soybean sector by diversifying into new markets. Activities include creating a brochure to promote Canada's high quality soybeans, as well as conducting meetings and outgoing missions with key stakeholders.

SOURCE Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

For further information: Justine Lesage, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, [e-mail], Mobile: [phone]; Media Relations, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, 613-773-7972, 1-866-345-7972, [e-mail]

Related Links

http://www.agr.gc.ca/