Nova Scotia is calling on the federal government to protect Canada’s supply-management system during international trade negotiations.

Agriculture Minister Keith Colwell wrote to his federal colleague Gerry Ritz on Wednesday, May 20, to underline the need to preserve the benefits of supply management for agricultural industries.

“Supply management is critical to jobs and the economy in rural communities and seeing it protected is a key priority for the provincial government,” said Mr. Colwell. “We are reminding the federal government it needs to safeguard Canada’s system as it pursues trade negotiations like the Trans Pacific Partnership.”

Supply-managed products such as eggs, dairy foods and poultry have an annual farm gate value of $267 million in Nova Scotia and support more than 800 jobs. The system already permits market access for products from outside of Nova Scotia.

“We will continue to raise these issues with our federal counterparts to ensure they are working to preserve the success of Canada’s commodity industries,” said Mr. Colwell.

A copy of the minister’s letter is available at www.novascotia.ca/agri/ .

Source: Release