Betting the farm: How Canada’s agriculture sector is getting its global swagger back
Canada's agriculture sector is recognized as a global powerhouse, producing a wide variety of crops and livestock. However, its share of agrifood trade has declined, and the country faces challenges from international trade tensions and internal fragmentation. Efforts are underway to revitalize the sector and attract investment, but significant hurdles remain.
- ▪Canada is the world's largest producer and exporter of canola and pulses, contributing 7% to the national GDP.
- ▪The country's agriculture sector has seen a decline in global trade share, falling from fifth to seventh place.
- ▪Trade tensions with China and the U.S. have created additional challenges for Canadian farmers.
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Justine Hendricks was at the Canada in Asia Conference in Singapore in early 2025 when she had an a-ha moment. As the CEO of Farm Credit Canada, the Regina-based federal Crown corporation with 100-plus branches and a century-old mission to finance Canadian agriculture, Hendricks was trying to tempt investors to give Canadian farming a chance. During one meeting, she asked a major Asia-Pacific agri-food investor if he had any feedback for Canada.“Your country,” Hendricks recalls him replying, “has everything we could want: natural resources, an educated population, strong political environment and a democracy with an outstanding reputation. “So, what the hell is Canada waiting for?”By almost every measure, Canada is an agricultural superpower.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The Globe and Mail.
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