Committee to look at impact of new trade deal

A legislative committee is investigating the possible hit to Alberta’s agriculture sector under the new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement.

The economic futures committee wants to know how USMCA could impact Alberta’s supplymanaged producers and their suppliers, particularly around increased Canadian market access for U.S.-originating dairy, poultry and eggs.

The investigation was originally proposed by Trevor Horne, New Democrat MLA for Spruce GroveSt. Albert, at an October economic futures meeting.

Horne told the committee at the time he had heard some “very specific” concerns from supplymanaged producers.

United Conservative committee members originally wanted to broaden the scope of the review to include grain, cattle and all other facets of Alberta’s agriculture sector, but that proposal was defeated.

Richard Starke, Progressive Conservative MLA for VermilionLloydminster, said while expanding the scope makes sense, there has to be a limit somewhere.

Horne told Postmedia Wednesday night he proposed the investigation to make sure Alberta farmers are getting the best possible deal. Once ratified, USMCA will replace NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement inked in 1994. That hasn’t happened yet, but Horne said it’s important the committee gets a better sense of what issues farmers are facing.

The committee agreed at its Wednesday night meeting to pursue a wide swath of briefings on USMCA, including how it differs from NAFTA and what steps the federal agriculture department is taking to address the new trade agreement. It will first hear a technical briefing from Alberta Agriculture and Forestry.

Standing orders give the committee six months to come up with a substantive report about how USMCA might impact agriculture in the province, making it due on April 11.

Given the time constraints, the committee agreed to hear from experts and stakeholders first, then decide whether or not public consultation is warranted.