With the recent election in the U.S. what does that mean for tariffs on the Canadian Agriculture industry?
Alberta Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation and Highwood MLA, RJ Sigurdson says he doesn't see tariffs being imposed upon Canadian beef.
"Alberta's supply chain is very integrated with the U.S. What I would know to be true is this new administration wants to achieve goals of food security and food affordability. So, tariffs do not fit in that bucket."
The minister was responding to questions at a recent news conference on Tuesday, November 12.
Sigurdson continued, "As far as I'm concerned, I think Alberta has an amazing value proposition to put forward to this new administration in the U.S. We have the highest-grade products in the world and with that continuing to have that free flow of trade north-south will continue to make food more affordable for American citizens and as well Canadian citizens. And it's in the best interest that we continue to make sure that we do have that free flow of agricultural products back and forth across our borders, especially considering that the U.S. is our largest trading partner right now when it comes to agricultural products."
President-elect Donald Trump was promising tariffs on imports from 10 to 20 per cent during the U.S. election campaign this year on August 14 at the rally in North Carolina.
At an event at the Economic Club of Chicago on October 15, 2024, he publicly stated, "To me, the most beautiful word in the dictionary is tariff."
However, Trump has not mentioned anything about imports of beef or agricultural products.