The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, was in Washington, D.C. to reaffirm Canada’s commitment to collaborating with the U.S. and other partners within the Western Hemisphere Agricultural Group, also known as Ag5. Together, this alliance representing almost a quarter of global exports is working to develop solutions to regulatory challenges. Facilitating trade through science-based rules will help farmers feed a growing world population, while driving industry growth and providing solutions to climate change.
Minister Bibeau met with U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Sonny Perdue, Mexico’s Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development, Victor Villalobos, and Argentina’s Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Livestock, Luis Basterra, as well as other key leaders in agriculture, including the President of American Farm Bureau Federation, Zippy Duvall. Minister Bibeau emphasized the need for predictable rules and science-based trade, that sustainability is defined by social, environmental and economic factors, and that innovation has an essential role in feeding a growing world population. Minister Bibeau also underscored that the new NAFTA is a key priority for Canada and that the Government is committed to working with Parliamentarians and Canadian stakeholders to implement the Agreement as quickly as possible.
At the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s 96th Annual Agricultural Outlook Forum, Minister Bibeau participated in a panel discussion with Secretary Perdue, Secretary Villalobos, and Minister Basterra. They discussed the importance of collaboration, innovation, food security, and supporting science and risk-based regulatory environments. During the panel, Minister Bibeau also stressed the importance of proactive collaboration with trading partners as part of North America’s preparedness strategy to help mitigate the risks of African swine fever should it be detected in the region.
Minister Bibeau also hosted a dialogue with key U.S. stakeholders from the Washington Agricultural Roundtable, Women in International Trade, and the U.S. Food and Ag Dialogue to discuss the importance of the Canada-U.S. trading relationship.
– Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
