CETA Update

[grassfarmer]

I got an update on the Canada - European trade pact
negotiations this morning from Canadian Cattlemen.
What a sorry tale - trying to get the issues all
resolved before the end of the year.

Here are the issues quoted:

"One challenging issue is the EU's demand that
Canada extend the patent protection of drugs
produced in the EU, which the Canadian generic
pharmaceutical industry says would add about C$2.8
billion annually to prescription drug costs."

My that looks like a good deal for Canada - not!

"Another obstacle is Canada's insistence on
protecting its agricultural sector through a system of
supply management, which sets producer quotas and
prices on farm commodities such as milk and poultry,
and slaps stiff tariffs on imports."

Excuse me? what about the EUs insistence on
protecting its entire agricultural sector through direct
cash subsidies?

"Reaching an agreement with the EU that will
eliminate the steep beef tariff and any quotas will
help every link in the beef production chain in
Manitoba," Ray Armbruster, president of Manitoba
Beef Producers said. "new and stable market access
into the EU is needed in order to help us build the
infrastructure necessary to support the growth and
development of beef production in Manitoba."

See there is the carrot for you kato - getting access
will be good for you guys in Manitoba - Cargill is
going to share their profits with you. Maybe they are
going to build the 500-1000 head a day plants in
Manitoba to support the growth and development of
beef production in your province? Or maybe not.
Of course this all ignores the obvious - there will be
no access or market for Canadian hormone treated
beef in the EU.

And on top of all this Canada will have to surrender
their provincial procurement markets to equal
European access. If Manitoba or Alberta wants to
make sure their school children eat Canadian beef
due to a perception of better quality or supporting
local slaughter plants or local beef producers - sorry
you are so out of luck - its got to be equal access to
all European meat suppliers.

CETA - bad for Canada and for Canadian agriculture -
good for Harpers corporate cronies.

[rkaiser]

Ray Armbruster, president of Manitoba
Beef Producers

This guy sounds a lot like our ABP boys. Let's ruin the livelihood of some farmers on the chance that some one might try to infiltrate the E.U. beef market.

Just got off the phone with a buyer in "another" part of the world who would take our beef without the leverage that the E.U. wants. And that list is long folks.

If we had the plants, or rather, the investors for the plants Mr.Armbruster feels would be successful in the E.U., the E.U. would have to line up behind the other buyers we already have waiting in even more lucrative and extensive markets around the world.

Hell --- doesn't any one read the news items from ABP and the Feds. Gerry and the CCA boys have more markets opening all over the world for our beef every day. What was the last one -- millions of dollars worth to Libya? LOL And these are all simply political hearsay markets. You should see the list of letters of intent growing on my desk from real importers all over this fine planet.

[kato]

I just read that on the MBPA website. First time I've heard of it here. Annual meetings are coming up in November. I'd like to learn more about the pros and cons, and bring them up at our local meeting.

Anybody else reading this who's from Manitoba? If others can do that at other local meetings, it would be a good thing.

MBPA isn't quite as out of touch with the producers as you guys in Alberta feel the ABP is for you, so it wouldn't hurt to bring this up for a proper debate. We're much more cow-calf oriented here, what with all our packers moving to Alberta, and our general lack of feedlots. ;-)

[rkaiser]

Maybe you could ask the MBPA boys who these investors are that are ready to build plants in Manitoba and send them my way. LOL I don't really care which province we build in.

[ASRG]

While CETA is a scandal, just wait until we get the Trans Pacific Trade deal!
When Harper signs that baby.....they can put a fork in us....we'll be done!

[grassfarmer]

The Trans Pacific is a weird one when you see the
current members that Canada and Mexico have just
announced they will be joining.
The United States, Australia, New Zealand, Chile,
Peru, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei.

Is it just me or are others wondering where the
market for all the produce is? These all seem to be
either strong export orientated countries or countries
with limited buying means. Doesn't quite compare in
my mind to exporting to Europe for example. Also
Canada is joining this to get away from being reliant
on the US yet the US is obviously driving this bus too
and leading calls for Canada to get rid of SM before
they can progress the discussions.