Pork Council joins call for delay of U.K. ascension to trade deal

The Canadian Pork Council (CPC) says it’s joining a meat industry coalition that’s calling for a re-think of the United Kingdom’s joining of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

“We have been patient and proposed solutions to safeguard the interests of Canadian farmers and ranchers, yet our concerns remain unaddressed,” said CPC chair Rene Roy in a news release today.

“Setting a precedent for non-tariff trade barriers within the CPTPP must be avoided to protect our industry,” he said.

The CPC said it was joining the “Say No to a Bad Deal” coalition, a group composed of the Canadian Cattle Association, the Canadian Meat Coalition and the National Cattle Feeders’ Association.

The CPC said this move comes in response to “Great Britain’s stance toward Canada,” which it says shows the U.K. “is not interested in free and fair trade in agricultural products.”

Late this January, the Canadian government announced Britain had suspended talks on a free trade deal with Canada amid discontent on both sides about the lack of access to agricultural markets.

The talks – which are separate from the CPTPP – are among a number of negotiations Britain has launched around the world in the wake of its decision to leave the European Union, which excluded it from existing EU free trade deals.

Canada and other nations welcomed Britain into the CPTPP in July. In response, the Canadian Meat Council (CMA), the Canadian Cattle Association (CCA) and the Canadian Pork Council issued a joint statement “strongly opposing” the move.

“The U.K. does not accept Canada’s food safety and animal health systems and measures, and those non-tariff barriers limit our access to the U.K. market,” the three groups said.

In a January news release, the Canadian Cattle Association said, “The UK currently has unlimited access for British beef exports to Canada while Canadian beef producers are unable to export into the UK market.”

The CPC said it aims to remind the Government of Canada of its responsibility to prioritize the best interests of Canadian farmers and ranchers.

“Great Britain’s refusal to truly engage Canada in the current negotiations poses significant risks to Canada’s agricultural sector, and it is crucial we address these concerns head-on before the UK joins a trade deal of which we are a founding member,” Roy said.

The CPC said it “supports fair trade terms that uphold the principles of reciprocity and mutual benefit.”

“Canadian pork producers rely heavily on international markets for their livelihoods, with 70 per cent of production destined for export markets,” Roy said. “Fair trade agreements provide producers with the opportunity to access new markets, diversify their customer base and increase profitability.”