The red meat sector is the largest of the Canadian food industry. Since 2007 Canadian meat exports have increased by 20% but Canada must overcome challenges to compete with other major meat producing markets. According to the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute corrective actions will be needed in the face of more aggressive competition from foreign suppliers, the high value of the Canadian dollar, the surge in corn-feed prices, strict regulations, higher costs, U.S. country-of-origin-labeling rules, as well as the decline in beef consumption in order for Canada to compete at its full potential on a global scale. Completion of the Canada-Japan Economic Partnership and the Canada-South Korea Trade Agreement would gain much needed access to major markets. Beef also remains the major block to the finalizing of the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). Completion of this agreement would allow access to 500 million more consumers in the EU’s 28 member-nations and help Canada recoup its exports.
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