U.S. Wheat Growers Call for Equal Trade in Canada

In a letter to Canada’s Minister of Agriculture, Gerry Ritz and Canadian Minster of International Trade, Ed Fast, the U.S. Wheat Associates, together with the National Association of Wheat Growers jointly called for changes in the Canadian treatment of U.S. wheat classes.

The U.S., which is Canada’s largest wheat export market, allows Canadian wheat to be graded and traded on the same terms as U.S. wheat on the market. However, the Canada Grains Act and Varietal Registration System (VRS) does not allow the same treatment of U.S. wheat in Canada. Under these acts, all foreign-grown grains are automatically downgraded to the lowest designation on Canada’s official grading system, regardless of its quality or approved variety status.

The two organizations propose in the letter that the market should be given the freedom to determine the quality of foreign wheat, rather than the government mandating foreign grain labeling, stating that this would not only strengthen ties between the two countries, but would be a key foundation for long-term profitable grain trade between the two nations.