Canada's Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food to promote Trade and NAFTA at American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Convention in Tennessee

 

The Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, will visit Tennessee from January 5 to 8, 2018, where he will deliver a keynote address to the American Farm Bureau Federation's annual convention and participate in activities to promote Canada-U.S. trade.

 

Minister MacAulay will attend the 99th Annual American Farm Bureau Federation Convention and IDEAg trade show in Nashville, Tennessee. The American Farm Bureau Federation Convention is a gathering of more than 5,000 delegates bringing together agricultural producers from all levels and sector representatives from the local, state and national levels. The American Farm Bureau Federation has confirmed that the President Donald. J. Trump will also be addressing the convention, the first sitting U.S. President to do so since George H.W. Bush in 1992.

 

"The trading partnership between Canada and the U.S. is one that delivers high-quality foods and supports millions of middle-class jobs on both sides of the border," Minister MacAulay said. "Since the beginning of NAFTA, trade in North American agriculture has quadrupled. We will continue to work closely with representatives at all levels in the U.S. to ensure our agricultural sectors continue to grow and prosper."

 

While in Nashville, Minister MacAulay will participate in a roundtable with U.S. agricultural producer and business groups. Along with his participation at the American Farm Bureau Convention, Minister MacAulay will host a breakfast for all State Farm Bureau Presidents, meet with Zippy Duvall, President of the American Farm Bureau Federation, Jai Templeton, Commissioner of Agriculture for Tennessee, and meet with U.S. Young Farmers and Ranchers. Minister MacAulay will also have the opportunity to meet with a number of his state counterparts who are attending this convention.

 

Canada is Tennessee's largest agricultural export market shipping $226 million to Canada including baked goods, prepared breakfast cereal, chocolate products and whiskies. Trade and investment with Canada supports approximately 170,300 jobs in Tennessee.