Canada and Russia as agri-food trade partners

Jan 05, 2015

The two countries meet tonight for World Junior hockey gold

By Diego Flammini, Farms.com

On the ice, the rivalry between Canada and Russia will forever be etched in hockey history. Tonight, they’ll write another chapter in the storied saga as the two countries meet for World Junior hockey gold; a tournament the two nations continue to dominate. 28 of the 36 competitions resulted in either Canada or Russia winning gold.

One game between the two countries dubbed the “Punch-up in Piestany” saw the game suspended after brawl broke out.

Off the ice, when it comes to trading agriculture, it’s a little bit of a different relationship.

The most recent stats show in 2013, Canada exported over $321 million worth of agri-food products to Russia. The principal exports being over $250 million in pork products. Other imports included dog and cat food, fertilized chicken eggs, and pure-bred breeding swine.

On the other hand, Canada imported $21 million in products in 2013. The chief import being vodka at $8.7 million. Molasses, tobacco, flaxseed and millet round out the top five agri-food imports.

During the summer of 2014, sanctions were put on Russia while they and Ukraine were at odds. In response to the sanctions, Russia stopped importing foods from numerous countries, including Canada’s pork industry that could have a financial impact of up to $500 million.

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.