‘It feels personal’: Canadian farmers cope with Chinese tariffs on canola and peas

Canola runs deep on Margaret Rigetti’s farm in southern Saskatchewan.

Her grandfather was among the first to grow the bright yellow flowering crop in the 1970s, and it has been a staple ever since.

“For a large part of Saskatchewan, the farm economy has been driven by canola,” Rigetti, a director with SaskOilseeds, says in an interview on her land near Moose Jaw.

“It feels personal when people come after canola, just because it’s such a Canadian story, such a western Canadian story, such a Saskatchewan story and such a story that’s right here on my farm.”

China hit Canadian farmers with 100 per cent tariffs on canola oil, canola meal and peas in retaliation to Canada slapping Beijing with levies on Chinese-made electric vehicles, steel and aluminum. 

Producers are also caught with uncertainty around U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs. Trump has imposed levies on Canadian aluminum, steel and automobiles, while musing about applying additional duties. 

Products that fall within the Canada-U.S.-Mexico agreement, including agricultural and energy goods, are not subject to U.S. tariffs. Canada has retaliated with countermeasures.