Tough S. Korean Controls on Importing Canadian Beef

(RTT News)

South Korea's Agriculture Minister Yoo Jeong-bok said Sunday his country would impose stringent controls over beef imports from Canada even if it lifted ban on importing the item from that North American country. He told the Joong Ang daily that Seoul could not ignore the fact that Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), or mad-cow disease, broke out in that country (Canada) first, and his ministry was considering imposing tougher rules on importing Canadian beef than American beef.

He said discussions were on to formulate actions in case BSE broke out again, adding that his Ministry was reviewing several options, including expanding the scope of banned beef parts. Read more here.

China Slaps Anti-Dumping Duties on US Chicken Imports

(AFP)

China will levy anti-dumping duties of up to 105% on imports of US chicken products, the government said on Sunday, in a move likely to ratchet up trade tensions between the two nations.

“The US chicken industry has dumped broiler products into the Chinese market and caused substantial damage to the domestic industry,” the commerce ministry said in a statement on its website. The duties take effect on Monday, it said.

China will slap anti-dumping levies of over 50% on up to 35 US chicken broiler exporters including Tyson Foods Inc, Keystone Foods LLC, Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation and Sanderson Farms Inc, the statement said. Levies of over 105% will be placed on imported chicken broilers, a type of chicken raised specifically for meat production, from all other US producers, it said. Read more here.

Proposed U.S. Cattle Rules More Bull For Canadians?

(Winnipeg Free Press)

Canadian livestock producers are in the unenviable position of being bystanders in yet another policy debate south of the border that could directly affect their futures.

The United States is Canada’s biggest market for exports of live cattle and hogs and when politicians there decided to move forward with country of origin labelling rules, farmers here took a direct hit on their bottom line -- either through reduced marketing opportunities or lower prices.

The latest debate is over new regulations proposed by the U.S. Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA). The effects on Canada are less clear.

The new regulations, which are open to public comment, are designed to increase transparency in U.S. cattle markets. They would require a packer, contractor or live-poultry dealer to maintain written records to justify differential pricing offered to producers. Read more here.

CFIA: Vietnam Certificate

(CFIA)

Vietnam is enhancing controls for imported foods of animal origin that will affect Canadian fish and seafood exports. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has been working with Vietnamese officials to maintain market access for Canadian exporters.

CFIA has successfully negotiated a certificate for non-live fish that is required for each consignment of non-live fish and fishery products exported from Canada to Vietnam. Implementation date is September 1, 2010. Please ensure that you use this updated certificate for shipments certified after September 1, 2010.

A separate certificate for live fish will be required and negotiations for this certificate are in progress. CFIA will provide further notice about the requirements for the certification of live fish once the negotiations have been completed.”

U.S. Fruit, Vegetable Exports Will Hit Record, USDA Says

(The Packer)

U.S. growers will export a record $6.2 billion worth of fresh fruits and vegetables next year, up 5.1% from this year, on increasing demand from Canada, Japan and the European Union, according to a government report

Fresh fruit and vegetable exports to Canada and Japan, and to a lesser extent the EU, “should continue to expand” as the world’s economies recover from recession, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported.

Total U.S. horticultural exports in fiscal 2011, which begins Oct. 1, are also expected to hit an all-time high, climbing 7.5% from 2010 to $24.5 billion, according to the USDA.

Foreign markets for U.S. grain, meat, fruit and vegetable growers will continue to grow next year as Asia leads a global economic recovery, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said during a conference call after the release of the report.

“You’re seeing greater acceptance of the American brand in agriculture in 2010, and you’ll continue to see that in 2011,” Vilsack said. “We’re going to see more and more opportunities.” Read more here.

Canadian Pavilion at Agricultural Technologies Fair in India, December 3-6

(Canada-Asia News – Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada)

Canadian companies in the agriculture and agri-food business are invited to participate in the Canadian pavilion at Agro Tech 2010, India’s biennial agricultural technologies fair, in Chandigarh, December 3-6, 2010. The theme for this year’s event is Sustainable Agriculture aiming to integrate technological advancements, environmental and ecological stewardship and sharing technical knowledge with the farming community. The show will focus on processed food, post harvesting equipment, animal genetics and value-added technologies.

Korea - Beef deal with Canada

(Meat Trade News Daily)

Bilateral talks between Korea and Canada to be held on 13 July this year to discuss the resumption of Canadian beef imports into Korea were unexpectedly delayed (Maeil Business Newspaper).

The Korean Ministry of Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries notified their Canadian counterpart of the delay as more time is needed to gather data in order to hold talks effectively. The Korean agricultural ministry plans to come up with a nationwide agreement, involving livestock and quarantine experts, producers and consumers before the talks take place. Read more here.

Senators Question FMC on Container Shortage

(Journal of Commerce Online – R.G.Edmonson)

Letter from agriculture committee says lawmakers seek ways to boost exports

Leaders of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee this week joined the chorus of lawmakers and shippers asking what can be done about equipment shortages and vessel capacity that are hindering the export of agricultural products.

In a letter to Federal Maritime Commission Chairman Richard A. Lidinsky Jr. on Wednesday, Committee Chairman Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., and Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., the committee’s senior Republican, said that agricultural exporters may be forced to wait a month to book cargo on a ship, and in parts of the country, they are unable to obtain containers. Read more here.

Related: Container shortage increases costs and slows trade (Transport Intelligence)

Price Impact of EU Food Standards Limited

(FlexNews – Reuters)

A senior European Commission official on Thursday backed the idea of forcing farm imports to meet European Union production standards, but said the move would not give EU producers a significant new price advantage.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy said in March that he would be prepared to discuss a cut in the EU's 50 billion euro ($60.19 billion) annual farm budget in return for tougher conditions on imports to protect European produce.

"We believe in our model not only for safety, but for environmental protection and also animal welfare standards, so we should continue to defend it at international level," Paola Testori Coggi, head of the Commission's health and consumers department, said at a conference in Brussels on Thursday. Read more here.

CFIA – New U.S. Requirements for Tomatoes Shipped from Canada

(CIFFA eBulletin)

Effective June 14, 2010, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) will require all shipments of tomatoes from Canada to be accompanied by an industry-issued “certificate of origin.” This requirement is primarily based on the USDA’s efforts to prevent the entry of tomato leafminer to the U.S. Full details available here.

Canada Advances System for Cattle Traceability

(More RFID)

Effective July 1, 2010, all cattle must be tagged with an approved RFID tag prior to moving from their current location or leaving their farm of origin. These tags will replace the bar-coded dangle tags.

“A strong traceability system will help Canadian producers get the premium prices their top quality products deserve around the world,” said Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz. “With RFID technology, we’ll be better able to trace an animal, which is not only important to human and animal welfare but also key to the sustainability of the Canadian livestock industry as a whole.” Read more here.

Canada Makes Historic Progress on Agriculture Partnerships in China

(Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada)

Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz announced yesterday historic agricultural partnerships between Canada and China. Canadian pulse producers led the way with initiatives that will increase the value of Canadian pulse exports to China to an estimated total of $500 million. Minister Ritz made the announcement following an agricultural trade mission to Beijing and Inner Mongolia where he and Canadian farm leaders worked together to strengthen export opportunities for Canadian pulses, canola, beef, grain, and hogs.

“Fifty years ago, Canadian farmers made history by delivering huge shipments of wheat to answer an urgent call for food in China and we are proud of the close partnership we have with China that remains strong today,” said Minister Ritz. “We’re making history again as China continues to lead the world by striving to make its food supply more nutritious and Canadian producers are stepping up with innovative new techniques and products to answer that call.”

Canadian pulse exports to China are projected to expand rapidly based on three factors. First, China agreed to remove import restrictions on Canadian peas after joint research demonstrated that there is no health risk associated with naturally occurring selenium. Second, Pulse Canada and the Chinese Cereals and Oils Association signed a memorandum of agreement to increase the nutritional benefits of staple Chinese foods by adding pulse ingredients. Third, the Government of Canada will invest more than $1 million to help Pulse Canada and their partners build Canada’s research and processing capacity to produce pulse flours and pulse-based ingredients that can be used in Chinese products.

According to industry estimates and overwhelming interest from Chinese buyers, Pulse Canada projects that pulse exports to China could increase to $500 million from the current value of $100 million. Read more here.

New Pork Labelling Scheme [UK]

(Lexology – Jane Hanney, Blake Lapthorn)

A new voluntary Code of Practice for the labelling of pork and pork products was introduced at the end of February.

This was developed by the Pig Meat Supply Chain Task Force which represents a broad range of stakeholders, including retailers, food service companies, consumers, processors, industry organisations, government and its agencies. It is intended to provide consumers with clear and unambiguous labelling regarding country of origin, pig production terms and the use of breed names.

While there are specific legal requirements for foods such as beef, veal, fish and shellfish to be labelled with information on country of origin, there is no such legislation covering pork and pork products. These foods have to comply with the Food Labelling Regulations which require that the place of origin or provenance need only be labelled if failure to do so might mislead a purchaser. This has led to a lack of clarity and ambiguities where imported pork processed in the UK is labelled as ‘Produced in the UK’ without additional details on country of origin being required. The new Code is designed to address these issues. Read more here.

Canada Resumes Pork Exports to China

(PR–USA.net)

Canada concluded a certification agreement to allow Canadian pork exports to China to resume. This agreement is the final step required to effectively lift the ban that was imposed last year due to concerns over H1N1. The Chinese market is important to Canada. In 2008, Canadian pork exports to China totalled $47 million. China has been identified by Canada Pork International as a priority market in its export market development strategy.

“This news is welcomed by Canada’s pork industry,” says Edouard Asnong, President of Canada Pork International. “The federal government has worked tirelessly to reopen this important market for our products. The development comes after many high-level interventions from Canadian government officials.”

Bans on imports of pork and swine from countries with human or animal cases of H1N1 do not comply with international standards. The World Health Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) all agree no additional trade restrictions should be imposed on pork that has passed veterinary inspection. Influenza is not a food-borne illness and does not affect pork safety. Read more here.

Chinese Canola Decision Still Presents Problems

(PortageOnline.com)

The Canola Council of Canada is disappointed with China's decision to restrict Canadian canola seed sales.

Several weeks ago, the Chinese announced they would not accept Canadian canola unless it is certified as free of the blackleg fungus. Then on Tuesday, the Chinese made some concessions, saying they would still accept Canadian canola, but not at ports in 19 provinces where canola is grown.

The Canola Council estimates this will limit canola export sales to roughly 30% of what they have been in the past.

China was Canada's top canola seed market last year, importing 2.87 million tonnes.
Prime Minister Harper is headed to China in December, and Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz has says this dispute will be one of Harper's priorities.

China Rejects Canadian Request on Canola Import Rule

(Bloomberg – Feiwen Rong)

China has rejected a Canadian request for a six-month delay in implementing a new rule requiring canola imports be certified free from blackleg disease, the China National Grain & Oils Information Center said.

The new rule is slated to become effective November 15, it said in an e-mailed statement, citing the Canola Council of Canada. Discussions between the two sides are continuing this week, it said. Canada is the world’s largest canola exporter.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has said it will not be able to issue a certificate certifying shipments are free of blackleg, as it is a common plant disease of canola in Canada, the council said in a statement dated November 2. Read more here.

USDA Proposes to Revise Info Collection on Import and Export of Meat and Poultry Products

(World Trade Interactive)

The Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service is seeking comments by Dec. 28 on an information collection addressing paperwork requirements related to the exportation, transportation and importation of meat and poultry products.

FSIS requires that meat and poultry establishments exporting product to foreign countries complete an export certificate in order to certify to the importing countries that FSIS inspectors have inspected the product and have found it sound and wholesome. Meat and poultry products not marked with the mark of inspection and shipped from one official establishment to another for further processing must be transported under USDA seal to prevent such unmarked product from entering into commerce. To track product shipped under seal, FSIS requires shipping establishments to complete a form that identifies the type, amount and weight of the product. Read more here

Canadian Farm Exports Snagged in World Safety Net

(Reuters – Rod Nickel)

A series of trade restrictions on Canadian farm products this year has ratcheted up the pressure on farmers, many of whom say the barriers reflect protectionism rather than genuine concern over food safety. From China to Europe, various foreign markets have banned shipments of Canadian-produced raw materials for cattle feed, vegetable oil, linoleum flooring and hot dogs, driving down prices at the farm gate.

Making matters worse, the trade bans causing farmers so much pain seem strangely arbitrary to many Canadians.

“A lot of it comes down to recessionary (pressure) that they’re under,” Canadian Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz said on Wednesday. Export markets “tend to get more protectionist as they safeguard their own folks.” As for the specific restrictions, Ritz said: “Some are based on a bit of reality, some are a real stretch.” Read more here.

Vilsack, Kirk Comment on Canadian Panel Request Regarding Country-of-Origin Labeling

(USDA)

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk today [Wednesday] issued a statement regarding Canada's request to establish a dispute settlement panel at the World Trade Organization (WTO) to review their claims in a dispute regarding country of origin labeling (COOL) required by the 2008 Farm Bill for certain agricultural products. The panel request will be considered at the October 23, 2009, meeting of the WTO's Dispute Settlement Body.

From Secretary Vilsack and Ambassador Kirk:

"We regret that formal consultations have not been successful in resolving Canada's concerns over country of origin labeling (COOL) required by the 2008 Farm Bill for certain agricultural products.

"We believe that our implementation of COOL provides information to consumers in a manner consistent with our World Trade Organization commitments.

"Countries have agreed since long before the existence of the WTO that country of origin labeling is a legitimate policy. It is common for other countries to require that goods be labeled as to their origin.

"We hope to continue to work with Canada to resolve this issue amicably."

Background:

The Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 (the 2008 Farm Bill) mandates country-of-origin labeling (COOL) at the retail level for beef, lamb, pork, chicken, goat, perishable agricultural commodities, and certain nuts as of September 30, 2008. The statute sets out four categories of country of origin for meat: A) exclusively U.S. origin; B) multiple countries of origin; C) animals imported for immediate slaughter; and D) exclusively foreign origin. On August 1, 2008, USDA published an Interim Final Rule to implement the COOL statutory requirements. On December 1, 2008, Canada requested WTO dispute settlement consultations on the COOL interim rule, and Mexico similarly requested consultations on December 17, 2008. Pursuant to a January 7, 2009 procedural agreement, Canada committed not to pursue WTO dispute settlement until September 2009 if the Final Rule contained certain flexibilities in meat labeling. On January 15, 2009, USDA published the Final Rule on COOL. On February 20, 2009, Secretary Vilsack announced that the Final Rule would take effect as originally scheduled on March 16, 2009. Canada and Mexico sent a new consultations request regarding the Final Rule to the United States on May 7, 2009.

Government of Canada Investing in Canada Brand Marketing Initiative

(Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada)

The Government of Canada is investing $32 million in the Canada Brand initiative to put the maple leaf brand on the top quality products Canadian farmers grow and increase sales around the world.

“Canadian farmers want to make their living in the marketplace and buyers around the world are looking for the premium products the maple leaf has come to symbolize,” said Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz. “This investment is going to help Canadian farmers drive market research and promotional campaigns to maximize opportunities around the world.”

The Canada Brand initiative will fund market analysis, advertising campaigns and public opinion research that will promote Canada’s safe, top quality agriculture. The Canada Brand initiative will work in lockstep with industry as a springboard to complement the successes already achieved in key markets.

“By more actively promoting the strengths and benefits of the Canada Brand, the Government will be complementing the individual marketing efforts of specific agriculture and food sectors in order to open more doors and increase sales,” said Minister of National Revenue and Minister of State (Agriculture), Jean-Pierre Blackburn.

Canada Brand is the third program delivered from the $500 million AgriFlexibility fund that was part of Canada’s Economic Action Plan. The AgriFlexibility fund was created to help reduce costs of production and improve environmental sustainability for the sector; promote value-chain innovation and sectoral adaptation; and respond to emerging opportunities and market challenges for the sector. The AgriFlexibility fund is now accepting new project proposals from provincial governments and the agricultural industry.

To find out more information about Canada Brand, please email brandcanada@agr.gc.ca

For further details on AgriFlexibility, visit http://www.agr.gc.ca/agriflexibility.

For more information on Canada’s Economic Action Plan, visit http://www.actionplan.gc.ca/.