International Trade Agreements and Agriculture

Abstract or Introduction

The Canadian economy relies heavily on international trade especially exports; thus, agriculture and agri-food sectors play significant roles in the growth and development of the Canadian economy. Remarkably, the Canadian agricultural industry has achieved a competitive edge in the regional and global markets. This phenomenon is attributable to a number of factors including strong trade partnerships, high-quality and safe agricultural products, and its geographic proximity to the United States. In the past four decades, agricultural productivity have increased significantly due to the development of large farms, increased food processing and well-established distribution firms. However, it is evident that international trade liberalization has boosted agricultural productivity. Therefore, it is apparent that free trade agreements bear significant benefits to the Canadian agricultural industry. Some of the major benefits of the free trade agreements to the Canadian agricultural industry are the increase of agricultural exports, tariff elimination, opening of new markets, expansion of the agricultural industry, and the creation of employment opportunities for Canadians in the agricultural sector. Therefore, this paper provides a comprehensive overview on the benefits of free trade agreements on the Canadian Agricultural industry.