Local canola producer says politics getting in the way of science in trade dispute with China

China was infuriated by Meng’s Dec. 1 arrest on a U.S. extradition warrant alleging fraud and has since arrested several Canadian citizens on charges Ottawa says are spurious.

In addition, China halted imports from Canada’s other major canola exporter, Richardson International Ltd., earlier this month due to hazardous organisms allegedly found in the company’s product.

Local producer and Red Deer County Mayor Jim Wood is a wheat, barley and canola grower.

Wood says canola is a primary source of income for his operation and he’s disappointed that politics is getting in the way of science.

“It’s really tough as a farmer to see that our cash crop may be denied on some official that may be detained in Canada and nothing to do with the good crop and production that we have,” laments Wood. “We have the best canola in the world. We have a great inspection agency that makes sure that it is inspected before it leaves.”

Wood says it’s evident China’s move goes beyond science and straight to politics.

“That is disastrous to our producers who rely on the ability to have a crop that actually makes them money,” exclaims Wood. “I believe that our federal government needs to jump on this really hard, and make sure that we put the pressure on that is necessary. Our federal agriculture minister and provincial ag minister should be making sure that local producers are in fact protected.”

Wood notes farmers have enough challenges such as weather to overcome each year, without having to battle things like politics as well.

“I think this year we will see less canola planted, we are looking at significant decline in prices and I think that farmers will continue to look for other crops,” predicts Wood. “Unfortunately, most farmers place canola into the rotation as a means to bring up their bottom line and without canola in that rotation, we are going to see a decline in farmer’s income and that can create a disaster. I don’t see any other crop as coming forward to replace it, so I just hope to heck that some of this market can be picked up ahead by other countries.”

Wood points-out there is only so much canola grown in the world, so he’s hoping other world markets can be found should Canada’s relations with China not improve before seeding.

“Sometimes there are unintended consequences when our government makes decisions,” says Wood. “I’m sure none of them even thought about the canola producers when we started looking at detaining an executive from China in Canada.”

The Canola Council of Canada said all of its members have reported that Chinese importers are unwilling to purchase their products.

Both wheat and canola groups have called on the government to send a delegation to China to address the issue.

China — a major market for Canadian canola that accounts for about 40 per cent of Canada’s exports of canola seed, oil and meal — is the sole country to raise a technical issue with the product.

(With files from the Canadian Press and Associated Press)

by rdnewsNOW staff

Local canola producer says politics getting in the way of science in trade dispute with China

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