International Trade Tension Impacting Homefront

Feb 06, 2020

Some of the ongoing issues Canada has with countries like China, Saudi Arabia and India are starting to impact confidence back here at home.

According to Reuters, trade confidence among Canadian exporters fell to its lowest level in nearly 10 years.

The numbers are from Canada's export credit agency. In the bi-annual survey of 1000 Canadian exporters, the trade confidence index fell to under 70 per cent the lowest levels since 2012 and 6 per cent below the survey's historical average.

A spokesman said trade barriers are now the number 1 challenge bigger than issues like finding skilled talent and financing.

The survey was done between mid-November and mid-December before the US and China signed phase 1 of their new trade agreement which could serve to ease some of those concerns this year.

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Video: Environmental Effects on Sow Fertility - Dr. Isabela Bez

In this special episode celebrating International Women's Day of The Swine it Podcast Show Canada, we bring Dr. Isabela Bez, a veterinarian and PhD student in Brazil, who explains how temperature and light regimes influence sow reproductive performance. She discusses seasonal infertility, climate adaptation, and why environmental monitoring inside barns is critical for herd efficiency. The episode highlights practical management strategies to reduce reproductive losses and improve outcomes. Listen now on all major platforms. "Environmental factors are actually very important on sow reproduction, and sometimes these are the factors that producers tend to not pay attention." Meet the guest: Dr. Isabela Bez / isabela-cristina-cola%c3%a7o-bez-1753381b0 is a veterinarian and PhD student in Animal Science at Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná (PUCPR), Brazil. Her work focuses on swine reproduction, nutrition, and animal welfare, with strong expertise in environmental effects on sow performance. She collaborates with international farms and research groups to improve reproductive efficiency through applied science.