The Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance (CAFTA) has sent a letter to Party Leaders outlining what the sector needs from the next Federal Government.

Acting as the voice of Canadian agri-food exporters, the Alliance says in their letter they're disappointed by the lack of serious discussion in this election about how to secure Canada's long term economic success by continuing to grow Canadian exports.

CAFTA President, Dan Darling, says they'd like to see trade deals finished, such as the CETA agreement with Europe.

Darling, who's a beef producer in Southern Ontario, says there's small things which need to be finalized in order to make the trade deal profitable for Canadian beef producers.

"We have different processes when the cattle are slaughtered than they do in Europe, which seems to be a bit of a sticking point."

The letter also points to the Government's own stats, which say one in five Canadian jobs depend on exports.

Darling adds, they're concerned agriculture isn't being discussed enough during the campaign, spurring them to write the letter to Leaders of the voting public relying on the sector.

"Not only for a living, but in fairness, to survive. A country is only as strong as its ability to producer food, and I think we forget that sometimes because food's so easy to get."

In the letter, the group also says they'd like to see the Government foster positive, long-term and mutually beneficial relations with China, support rules-based trade and the efforts to reform and modernize the World Trade Organization so it remains an effective organization at the forefront of the Global trading system.

You can read the full letter here.

 

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