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Farmer Resources
Jan 15, 2025 Post

CCGA Attends SARL to Emphasize the Importance of Canada-U.S. Trade

On January 2, CCGA’s farmer Chair, Roger Chevraux, and Vice-President, Government & Industry Relations, Dave Carey, travelled to Des Moines, Iowa, to attend the State Agriculture and Rural Leaders (SARL) annual Legislative Agriculture Chairs Summit.
 
What is the SARL annual Legislative Agriculture Chairs Summit? 

Formed in 2006, SARL is dedicated to promoting and fostering cooperation, leadership, and educational opportunities among state and provincial legislators responsible for agriculture and rural communities in the U.S. and Canada. The annual Summit brings together elected agriculture leaders and industry stakeholders from both nations, in a forum to support dialogue and collaboration.

Why is it important? 

Given the importance of the U.S. market for Canadian canola, rising uncertainty around the world with increasing protectionism, and a CUSMA review set to occur in 2026, building new and leveraging existing trade relations is critical to maintaining our market presence in the U.S. 

Attending the SARL Summit is one of the many ways CCGA furthers connections in the U.S. With legislators from 27 States attending this year’s event, the Summit provided an excellent opportunity to discuss the mutually beneficial trade relationship Canada and the U.S. enjoy in canola.

Canada and the U.S. have long enjoyed a mutually beneficial relationship, they are our largest market for canola exports, and those exports provide a great deal of direct, indirect, and induced benefits to the U.S.,’ says Dave Carey, Vice-President, Government & Industry Relations.

At the conference, Roger and Dave attended numerous breakout sessions and networking events. 
 
Dave also spoke on a trade panel alongside the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agriculture Service, moderated by North Carolina Representative Kyle Hall, about the importance of Canada-U.S. trade for agricultural goods like canola. Dave stressed the importance of the U.S. market for Canadian canola farmers. The U.S. is Canada’s leading market for canola, valued at $8.6 billion in 2023 and is the top export destination for canola oil and meal.
CCGA's Dave Carey Speaking at SARL

Top 5 Market Values for Canadian Canola  

Top 5 Markets for Canadian Canola
According to a recent third-party study commissioned by the Canola Council of Canada, Canadian-grown canola generates:
  • $11.2 billion USD in economic activities in the U.S.  
  • 22,000 American jobs  
  • $1.2 billion USD in American wages

Attending my first SARL Summit, I was struck by how pro-trade the American Senators and Representatives are. The U.S. is our closest trading neighbour and an important market for Canadian canola farmers, adds Roger Chevraux, Alberta farmer and CCGA Chair.

The Canadian delegation, including CCGA, at the State Agriculture and Rural Leaders annual Legislative Agriculture Chairs Summit in Des Moines, Iowa.

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