Trade Policy Statement

13.0 Marketing Structures

The suitable form of marketing structures varies between commodities and over time. However, one of the most important tools available to Canadians farmers is the Canadian agricultural marketing legislative framework.

Under this legislative framework, the federal government and the provinces have established agricultural marketing boards, agencies and commissions that, without distorting trade, permit farmers to deal effectively with their buyers and give farmers the leverage to successfully meet the challenges of a competitive market place. At the same time, they have provided fair prices to consumers and ensured strong national industries.

They must not be traded away. Canada should:

• Not only defend its right to enable producers to establish and maintain effective marketing structures, but seek allies and vigorously promote WTO rules that clearly confirm the right of countries to grant producer supported marketing bodies (such as Canadian supply management systems) the power to regulate the volume of domestic product marketed, to operate a central desk selling agency and to pool returns in a fashion that does not distort international trade.

   

• Ensure that any international agreement on the application of competition policy respects Canadian provisos that exempt specific aspects of federal and provincial agricultural marketing structures from the provisions of competition legislation.