Government of Canada announces new working group for poultry and egg sectors

OTTAWA, Oct. 29, 2018 /CNW/ - Canadian farmers and food businesses are vital to Canada's prosperity, creating good jobs, growing the middle class, supporting rural communities, and bringing high-quality products to the tables of Canadian consumers.

Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Lawrence MacAulay, announced today a new working group comprised of poultry and egg farmers and processors.

While informal engagement has already begun with the poultry and egg sector, the working group brings together officials from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, representatives from national poultry and egg organizations and associations, as well as regional representatives.

The working group will collaborate to develop strategies to fully and fairly support farmers and processors to help them adjust to the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). It will also discuss support to reflect the impact of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

In addition to discussing impacts of the trade agreements in the short term, the working group will also chart a path forward to help the poultry and egg sectors innovate and remain an important source of jobs and economic growth for future generations. Supporting expertise to the working group may also include academic leaders, as well as industry and financial experts, as necessary.

The federal government will engage with provincial and territorial governments on an ongoing basis throughout the collaboration process.

Quote

"This working group will ensure the voices of the hardworking men and women who are building and growing our farm businesses are heard and reflected, as we develop a path forward to ensure our poultry and egg sectors remain strong and competitive well into the future. Together, we will make sure our industries are well-positioned to thrive."
- Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Quick facts

• The USMCA preserves tariff-free market access within North America for agricultural trade valued at $119 billion, and the hundreds of thousands of jobs that rely on that access.
• Through USMCA negotiations, the Government of Canada worked extremely hard to advance the interests of Canadian farmers and food businesses, including defending and preserving our supply-managed sector from strong U.S. attempts to dismantle it.
• Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Lawrence MacAulay also announced today the formation of new working groups with dairy farmers and processors.
• Market access highlights for the Canadian poultry and egg sectors under the USMCA are available here.
• Market access highlights for the Canadian poultry and egg sectors under the CPTPP are available here.
• Further information on the working group's membership will be available on AAFC's website.

Additional links

• United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement
• Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership
• Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement

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SOURCE Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada