Ottawa, Ontario – Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada - The Government of Canada is committed to expanding market opportunities to reach its goal of $75 billion in annual agri-food exports by 2025. Today, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Marie-Claude Bibeau departs for Japan to participate in the G20 Agriculture Ministers’ Meeting in Niigata and to build stronger relationships with our trading partners to help grow the economy and create good, well-paying jobs for Canadian farm families.
This year’s G20 meeting will focus on three core themes - innovation, value chains and the sustainability of the sector. Minister Bibeau will work with her fellow G20 Agriculture Ministers to find new ways to foster innovative technologies and practices that will help farmers prosper, reduce food waste, and mitigate their impact on climate change.
While in Niigata, Minister Bibeau will take the opportunity to meet with officials from various G20 countries to advance Canada’s agricultural trade interests and discuss new ways of diversifying into markets that have emerged through Canada’s recent free trade agreements. With the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) now in force, Canada is the only G7 nation that has free trade agreements with all other members across the Americas, Europe and the Asia-Pacific.
The Minister will conclude her visit in Tokyo where she will meet with key Japanese industry organizations from the grains, oilseed and meat sectors to emphasize the mutual importance of rules-based trade and the countries’ long-standing partnership. Canada is committed to exploring opportunities to open new markets for Canadian agri-food products, including canola. Japan is an important partner in the CPTPP, and represents one of Asia’s fastest growing economies.
Source : Government Of Canada