WASHINGTON — The leaders of the U.S. National Farmers Union (NFU) and the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) in a joint statement today urged Canadian and U.S. officials to preserve the strong, longstanding trade relationship between the two countries.
CFA President Ron Bonnett and NFU President Roger Johnson issued the following statement:
“American and Canadian farmers and ranchers have long enjoyed a positive and rewarding trading relationship based on mutual respect and economic cooperation. Our nations trade more than $40 billion USD in agricultural products each year, and that number continues to climb as new opportunities arise between our markets.
“Given the global food and on-farm challenges we are facing and will face in the future, American and Canadian farmers need the certainty that the Canada-U.S. trading relationship has provided for our farm products. To disrupt this relationship would be detrimental for farmers on both sides of the border, as our agricultural sectors are heavily integrated and, to a large extent, rely upon one another for each other’s success.
“No heated rhetoric nor inflammatory remark could possibly represent the positive sentiment that American and Canadian farmers share for each other’s nation. We urge our respective officials to engage in positive discourse that protects the strong trade ties that benefit American and Canadian farmers alike.”
About NFU
National Farmers Union has been advocating since 1902 on behalf of nearly 200,000 American farm families and their communities. We envision a world in which farm families and their communities are respected, valued, and enjoy economic prosperity and social justice.
About CFA
Founded in 1935 to provide Canada’s farmers with a single voice in Ottawa, the Canadian Federation of Agriculture is the country’s largest general farm organization. Its members include provincial general farm organizations, as well as national and inter-provincial commodity organizations. Through its members, CFA represents over 200,000 Canadian farmers and farm families.
—National Farmers Union
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