Vilsack says U.S. and Canada will work together on farming barriers

Canadian and U.S. officials met recently to discuss agriculture.
Canadian and U.S. officials met recently to discuss agriculture.
Officials from the U.S. and Canada met recently in order to discuss their cooperation over agricultural issues.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said his meeting with Canadian Minister of Agriculture Gerry Ritz was a productive one and that the two countries will form a high-level working group to examine farming interests. Those would include helping improve the lot of people who live in rural areas.

Vilsack also said the countries would work on reducing trade barriers, which would include easing the ability of transporting genetically engineered goods. As a result, those who use farm equipment to make a living may see benefits.

"The farmers and ranchers in the USA and Canada are among the most productive in the world, and they only benefit by reducing barriers to markets," Vilsack said.

Ritz noted that the two countries exchange more than $36.4 billion of agricultural products every year and that through working together, barriers that face both American and Canadian farmers could be reduced.

The USDA also reported recently that crop production in American is beating records set last year, as corn, soybeans and wheat are seeing improved yields.ADNFCR-2034-ID-19925672-ADNFCR