The Conservative Party of Canada has outlined its agriculture platform for the upcoming federal election, taking place September 20th.
John Barlow is a candidate in the riding of Foothills, Alberta, and says international trade will be a key focus.
"We want to open new markets for livestock, grain, oilseed producers. Some of the amazing products that we're developing and processing here in Canada. We have seen the failure of the Liberal government and the impact that it has had on our access to critical markets like India, like China, like the European Union, where we have not been able to take advantage of free trade agreements in place or failed to be able to negotiate new free trade agreements."
Barlow says its also important that there is dependable infrastructure to meet those new markets when they become available, including access to rail, highways, terminals, and the coast line to ensure that when the agreements are in place that farmers can access them.
Other priorities for the Conservatives include reforming the Business Risk Management Program, modernizing the Canadian Grain Act and the Canada Grain Commission, and coming up with a compensation package for supply managed operations as a result of trade agreement that have been signed.
The Canadian Federation of Agriculture will be hosting a National Agriculture Leader's Debate on Thursday, September 9th starting at 7pm EDT.
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