Canadian Ag Minister Visits Oregon

As we head towards renegotiations of the NAFTA agreement, the Canadian Minister of Agriculture was in Oregon this week to discuss trade.

Lawrence MacAuley said the relationship between the Beaver State and our neighbors to the North is a critical one.

“It’s just under $50 billion, a lot of money. It’s also important to know that since NAFTA has come into play, it has quadrupled and we want to make sure it continues to grow.”

Canada is Oregon's second leading export market for agriculture, trailing only Japan, with $358 million in Oregon ag products going north of the US border in 2015.

MacAuley does warn that it is important to fix what’s wrong with NAFTA, address how the world has changed, but it’s important to do it smartly.

“But I think when you look at the agricultural sector and talk to the producers on both sides of the border here, in Canada and the US, there is a concern, a great concern, that we do it properly to make sure that what’s fixed, don’t break it.”

Oregon’s Department of Agriculture Director Alexis Taylor said she will be watching the renegotiations carefully.