Minister Bibeau concludes G20 ministerial meeting and visit to Japan

May 13, 2019 – Tokyo, Japan – Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Today, Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, wrapped up a successful four-day visit to Japan where she represented Canada at the G20 Agriculture Ministers' Meeting and met with her counterparts to discuss the importance of rules-based trade, market access for Canadian agri-food products and opportunities resulting from the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Comprehensive and Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).

At the G20 meeting in Niigata, Minister Bibeau discussed Canada's approach to the three core themes of the forum: innovation, value chains and sustainability. The Minister highlighted Canada's world-leading research centres and how collaboration with industry and academia has led to innovative practices and technologies that help farmers prosper and all while reducing their carbon footprint. In addition, she talked about Canada's support for the next generation of farmers, including women, to ensure they are equipped for success.

Agroecosystem Living Labs is an innovative approach to agricultural research aimed at accelerating adoption of new technologies. Canada introduced this concept at last year's G20 meeting and it was endorsed again by Ministers in their declaration. The Living Labs approach was also recognized by G20 Agricultural Chief Scientists as an important mechanism for scaling up climate smart technologies.

While in Niigata, Minister Bibeau held productive meetings with her counterparts from Japan, the United States, Mexico, the Netherlands, and the EU to enhance bilateral trading relationships and discuss priority issues for the Government of Canada. Other topics of discussion included the early success of the CPTPP and CETA, which are already creating good, middle class jobs and providing farmers with new opportunities in key markets, and global cooperation in taking concrete actions to prevent and respond to the threat of African Swine Fever. She had the opportunity to have an introductory conversation on the margins of the G20 with Minister Han, the Agriculture Minister of China where she expressed Canada's deep concern with the suspension of Canadian canola exports to China, and urged that this issue needs to be resolved quickly. She expressed strongly that the Government of Canada stands firmly behind its robust inspection system and good reputation of being a reliable supplier of quality products worldwide. Minister Bibeau took every opportunity to advance Canada's trade diversification strategy as the Government continues to seek out new customers for Canadian agri-food products abroad and help farmers diversify into new markets.    

Minister Bibeau concluded her visit in Tokyo where she was joined by Jim Everson, President of the Canola Council of Canada and Co-Chair of the Government-Industry Canola Working Group for meetings with key industry leaders from Japan's grains, oilseeds and meat sectors to raise the profile of our high-quality Canadian products and foster new business opportunities. Japan continues to be a an important destination for Canadian pork, beef, wheat and canola and the CPTPP has given exporters a competitive advantage as more and more Japanese customers see the value in what Canada has to offer.