Minister MacAulay visits Oregon and Idaho to Promote Canada-U.S. Agricultural Trade

The Government of Canada is working closely with the U.S. Administration, as well as state and local officials, to strengthen the robust Canada-U.S. partnership and to ensure continued support for millions of trade-dependent middle-class jobs on both sides of the border

As part of these efforts, Minister MacAulay travelled this week to Oregon and Idaho to promote the benefits of agricultural trade. The Minister’s first stop was in Portland, where he took part in the Pacific Northwest Economic Region (PNWER) Summit, an annual event that brings together state and provincial representatives, as well as industry stakeholders, to discuss opportunities for growth and cooperation within the region.

At PNWER, Minister MacAulay delivered a keynote address where he highlighted the almost $12 billion in Canada-U.S. agriculture and agri-food trade generated by PNWER member states and provinces in 2016.

“Canada and the United States (U.S.) benefit from a long-standing history of bilateral cooperation, especially in agricultural trade”

 

“Canadians and Americans really do benefit from agricultural trade,” MacAulay stated. “Just last year, our countries exchanged more than $47 billion (USD) in agriculture and agri-food products.”

The Minister also participated in the summit’s feature agricultural session, where he emphasized that nearly nine million U.S. jobs depend on trade and investment with Canada. While in Portland, the Minister also got a first-hand look at the value of the Canada-U.S. integrated supply chain, touring the Canpotex facility at the Port of Portland, and visiting a local brewery that uses Canadian ingredients in several of its beers.

“This relationship provides greater access to well-priced, high-quality foods and supports millions of middle-class jobs and strong rural communities on both sides of our border,” MacAulay added. “My job is to work hard with all levels of government in the U.S. to ensure that the agriculture sector in North America continues to grow, and the best way to do that is by continuing to share a strong and open dialogue.”

Minister MacAulay’s next stop was Sun Valley, Idaho, where he gave a keynote address and met with state officials and industry representatives at the annual meeting for the Western Association of State Departments of Agriculture (WASDA). His final stop was in Boise, where he discussed bilateral agricultural trade opportunities with key members of the Idaho business and agriculture community.