Canadian pork producers rejoice: Stronger ties with China

Dec 05, 2017

Trudeau continues to explore trade opportunities

Staff Reporter

Farms.com

Canadian and Chinese officials reached an agreement yesterday to allow the export of Canadian fresh chilled pork and beef products, as well as bone-in beef, to China.

These pork exports will begin with a pilot project, according to yesterday’s release from the Canadian Pork Council.

“The chilled pork access on the pilot project, will have, ideally, some improved access of different products going into China that we want to sell in the short-term,” Gary Stordy, director of governmental and corporate affairs, said to Farms.com today.

“We have the experience and knowledge of how to manage (preparing and shipping) the product from Canada across to foreign markets,” said Stordy.

Indeed, last year, Canada exported 132,094 tonnes of chilled pork to Japan valued at $750 million, according to the release.

China has a growing appetite for Western food, as well as safe and nutritious pork. And Canadian pork producers look forward to filling this Chinese demand and duplicating their success in Japan.

The pilot project builds from ongoing discussions about the possibility of a free trade agreement with China, given America’s threat to withdraw from the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

The new trade agreement could be significant for both Canadian pork producers and the Canadian economy.

“It’s an opportunity that makes sense for Canadian business,” Trudeau said in an article on Reuters.com yesterday.

“Canada is and always has been a trading nation. But the landscape of trade is shifting, and we need to adjust to it.”

However, Trudeau treads carefully and slowly in the discussions with Chinese government officials as polls show Canadians are not completely sold on the idea of a trade agreement. Indeed, Canada needs to explore other market and trade options if the U.S. drops NAFTA, according to the article.

Although formal trade negotiations have not begun, a free trade agreement with China would offer Canada another export market in the future.

“It’s a potentially improved market. (But) it won’t be completed tomorrow. It is most-likely a long-term discussion,” Stordy said.

Photo Credit: https://pixabay.com/en/abstract-animal-beef-blood-bone-1239137/

Video: WARNING! Rough Start To Breeding Season!!

WARNING! Sheep Breeding Season Begins With A Bang! Breeding season is officially underway at Ewetopia Farms, but it didn’t exactly start the way we planned!

This vlog begins with us sorting through our rams to find the perfect match for a customer’s breeding program. What should have been routine quickly turned dangerous when one of our more nervous rams panicked. In seconds, Arnie’s knee was injured, and then I was slammed hard onto the concrete floor — both of us taken down by one ram!

Thankfully, it was just bruises, but it’s a reminder of how unpredictable and powerful mature rams can be. Once we recovered, it was time to get back to the real work — the start of breeding season.

We sorted the ewes into four breeding groups (two Suffolk and two Dorset), checking parentage as they ran through the chute, deworming those that needed it, and setting aside thinner ewes for session two of breeding season in a month’s time.This staggered approach keeps lambing organized and prevents overcrowding in the barns.

From rogue rams to the excitement of new breeding groups, this episode is full of action. Stay tuned for the next vlog, where we’ll share how we chose the rams for each group!