Feds announce closer ties with Germany on agricultural research
by Canadian Manufacturing.com Staff
Increased agricultural science cooperation between Canada and Germany will go hand in hand with CETA coming into force, a trade pact expected to generate $1.5 billion in yearly exports for Canadian agri-goods
CHARLOTTETOWN—On May 22, the federal minister of Agriculture and Agri-food, Lawrence MacAulay, traveled to Prince Edward Island, where he announced with his German counterpart, Christian Schmidt, that the two countries will work closer together in several key areas of agricultural research.
Germany, according to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, has been a strong science partner with our federal agriculture regulator for over a decade, especially in areas of crop development and animal health.
Canada and Germany have agreed to closer cooperation in the following areas:
- Sustainable agriculture and climate change, particularly in the areas of protecting soil and water and breeding crops that are more resistant to the effects of climate change.
- Agri-food, including crop breeding for nutrition and health and reducing food waste and loss.
- Sharing best management practices for knowledge and technology transfer to farmers and industry.
- Personnel exchange, including exchanges of scientists and students between Canada and Germany to build on opportunities for collaboration.
Canada’s agri-food exports to Germany in 2016 were $321 million, which represents our eighth-largest export market.
“Canada’s bilateral trade with Germany has grown considerably, and we look forward to continuing this trend as new trade opportunities are always being created in Europe for Canadian agricultural exports,” said MacAulay.
The Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), which will give Canadian farmers and processors duty-free access to the world’s largest import market for agri-goods, is expected by Canadian industry to provide additional exports for our agri-goods of up to $1.5 billion per year.
Cooperation in science and technology between Canada and Germany is formalized by the Canada-Germany Science & Technology Agreement, which was signed in 1971.
The two countries are currently working together on projects involving crop genetics and diseases, agro-ecosystem resilience, horticulture, micro-organism collections and pork production.
