Reports See Growth for Canada's Agriculture Exports

Nov 15, 2017

Canada is about to strengthen its position as one of the world’s top agriculture and agri-food trading nations, according to a pair of reports issued by Farm Credit Canada (FCC).

“Our optimism comes from a unique set of circumstances where demand for both Canada’s agriculture commodities and manufactured food products continues to grow,” says J.P. Gervais, chief agricultural economist for FCC. “The stars are aligned for an industry that is already strong and has the potential to grow in a highly competitive world market.”

Canada was the world’s fifth largest exporter of agriculture and the 11th largest exporter of manufactured food products in 2016, according to the FCC’s trade ranking reports.

“Our reports confirm that agriculture is and will continue to be a major contributor to Canada’s growth and prosperity,” says Gervais, echoing of the findings the Advisory Council on Economic Growth’s report, Unleashing the Growth Potential of Key Sectors.

The landmark report, released in February, notes that Canadian agriculture already employs 2.1 million workers and accounts for 6.7 per cent of the country’s gross national product (GDP).

Source : Agriculture and Forestry

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.