Canadian leaders on the evolving trade relationship with the U.S.: “It’s a wake-up call”

Canada is a major trade partner with the United States. Politicians there say the ongoing trade talks leave them with more questions than answers, but they admit it is a good opportunity for some self-reflection as a country.

“It is a general wake-up call about the country,” said Jean Charest, co-chair of the Council of Canada–U.S. relations. “Twenty years from now, we may thank Donald Trump for doing this and allowing us to have a very hard look at ourselves and how we have managed our economy, because it used to be that we could take the Americans for granted. We can’t anymore. And rather than talk about what we’ll do, do it.”

Ag groups warn that the fertilizer markets would see the first impact of a trade war. As a result, Canadian leaders have created a special council.

Related Stories
The phone call injected optimism into the soybean market, but actual Chinese buying and its timing will ultimately determine the extent of U.S. agricultural export benefits.
Mexico has fallen behind by several hundred thousand acre-feet in required water deliveries to the United States, a shortfall that has had devastating consequences across the Rio Grande Valley.
Securing Critical Water Resources for South Texas Agriculture
RealAg Radio host Shaun Haney says farmers there are already sounding the alarm about what this could mean for the future of ag research.
Economists are also closely watching how policy decisions in Washington could influence markets moving forward. Analysts say deferred futures for corn, soybeans, and wheat suggest markets are operating near break-even levels, not at prices that would encourage expanded production.
The biggest development of 2025 in agricultural law and taxation was the signing into law on July 4 of the Trump Administration’s landmark legislation, the “One Big Beautiful Bill” Act (OBBBA)
The federal government’s status is far from the only factor moving the markets on Friday. Two critical reports released today on producer inflation and the status of the U.S. cattle herd are also top of mind.
Strong White House backing supports ethanol demand, but timing now hinges on Congress resolving procedural — at the same time as they push toward a spending bill to avert another federal government shutdown.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

David Klein with the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers (ASFMRA) shares an end-of-harvest update and a peek at the farmland market in Central Illinois.
Host of RealAg Radio Shaun Haney discusses how the proposed reductions to agriculture programs in Canada’s new budget could affect research and support programs that farmers need.
Highly Pathogenic Avian Flu (HPAI) cases are rising. In the last week, seven commercial turkey, duck, and egg layer flocks were culled across five Midwest states and California.
A SCOTUS ruling on Trump’s tariffs could have long-term implications on the authority of future administrations to control U.S. trade policy, according to RFD-TV legal expert Roger McEowen.
The Sheinbaum–Rollins meeting signals progress, but the focus remains on fully containing screwworm before cross-border movement resumes.