‘We’re here for you’, agriculture minister tells farmers

The federal agriculture minister and his Manitoba counterpart tried to offer comfort Sunday to canola producers and other farmers roiled by massive tariffs from China and other economic uncertainty.

Liberal Agriculture Minister Heath MacDonald said in Winnipeg on Sunday a new $370-million in support meant to ease the pain in the canola industry, which was announced Friday by Prime Minister Mark Carney, is “just a start.”

“I know you’re stressed, you need to make business decisions, this is your livelihood and what you’re hoping to pass on to the next generation… when the time comes,” said MacDonald. “We’re here for you.”

MacDonald made the comments ahead of an annual meeting of federal, provincial and territorial agriculture ministers, which runs through Tuesday in Winnipeg, where trade uncertainty is expected to largely top the agenda.

“There’s no question producers are feeling the strain of global trade uncertainty. Markets we’ve been able to depend on for years are becoming unattainable, and it’s our job as politicians to control what we can control and give them some assurances,” said MacDonald.

China hit Canadian canola with a 75.8 per cent tariff last month. The measure was widely seen as a response to Canada’s 100 per cent tariff on Chinese electric vehicles.

The federal government said Friday that a new biofuel production incentive is meant to address “immediate competitiveness challenges.”

Carney also said Friday the government will temporarily increase the amount producers can receive in interest-free advances to $500,000, and boost funding to support diversification to new markets.

Earlier Sunday, MacDonald and Manitoba’s New Democrat Agriculture Minister Ron Kostyshyn toured a dairy farm and a mixed-crop farm and met with provincial and federal agriculture industry groups, including the canola sector.

Kostyshyn also spoke to reporters ahead of the Winnipeg meeting.

“We need to start building this foundation for alternative uses for canola in the province and across Canada,” said Kostyshyn.

Kostyshyn said he believes, despite the challenges, opportunities abound in the sector, with new markets elsewhere in the world that Manitoban and Canadian producers have yet to tap.

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MacDonald, too, said diversification in the canola sector is paramount.

He noted about 70 per cent of biofuels that come into Canada are produced in the United States.

“To us, it’s build Canada,” said MacDonald, adding it would be a win for producers of biofuels and canola farmers to build production and refining facilities north of the border.

— with files from the Canadian Press

erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca

Erik Pindera
Reporter

Erik Pindera is a reporter for the Free Press, mostly focusing on crime and justice. The born-and-bred Winnipegger attended Red River College Polytechnic, wrote for the community newspaper in Kenora, Ont. and reported on television and radio in Winnipeg before joining the Free Press in 2020.  Read more about Erik.

Every piece of reporting Erik produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.