Canadian Egg Farmers Disappointed with Trans-Pacific Partnership Trade Deal

While Egg Farmers of Canada recognizes the opportunity the CPTPP brings to Canada and the overall economy, there was little incentive for Canada to give away the market access concessions that were originally agreed to in October 2015.

OTTAWA -- Canadian egg farmers are disappointed, seeing Tuesday's Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) announcement as a failure to protect the future of Canada's egg farms. Importantly, it also represents a hit on Canadian consumers, who want and expect fresh, local, high-quality eggs.

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"The outcome of the CPTPP agreement means difficult challenges for Canada's egg farmers, their communities and many farms and businesses they support," according to Roger Pelissero, Chairman of Egg Farmers of Canada. Once fully implemented, Canadian egg farmers will have lost the right to produce close to 291 million dozen eggs, with an additional 19 million dozen eggs added each year after the implementation phase. The total value of the trade deal represents close to $1 billion dollars in lost farm family income.

"Our farmers make a sizeable contribution to Canada's food system, help keep rural communities vibrant and feed urban consumers' appetite for locally produced food. The concessions under the CPTPP impact the livelihood of Canada's more than 1,000 egg farm families," adds Pelissero.

While Egg Farmers of Canada recognizes the opportunity the CPTPP brings to Canada and the overall economy, there was little incentive for Canada to give away the market access concessions that were originally agreed to in October 2015 when the United States was still a part of the deal. 
 
Canadians overwhelmingly prefer Canadian eggs, with nearly nine in ten agreeing or somewhat agreeing it is important that the eggs they purchase are produced in Canada. The increase in additional required imports means Canadians will be purchasing more imported eggs and egg products, which they normally count on as being fresh and local.

Given the seriousness of the CPTPP outcome, Egg Farmers of Canada urges the government to expedite work on mitigation measures. We must work side by side to address the impact this will have on our farmers, on our consumers and our ability to produce and deliver the Canadian products they expect, need and enjoy.

SOURCE Egg Farmers of Canada