CANADA /U.S CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE – PROVINCE/STATE ADVISORY GROUP

TRI-NATIONAL ACCORD – U.S./CANADA WORKING GROUP

2000 – 2001 WORK PLAN

D R A F T: March 27, 2001

Note: This is a working document, subject to revision on a regular basis as activities proceed and new issues arise.

ISSUE	LEAD STATE & PROVINCE	FEDERAL CONTACTS	NEXT STEPS	COMMENT
Animal health issues that affect trade	Idaho & Alberta		Background paper identifying principles, issues and priorities to be developed and tabled for discussion at next meeting	Alberta lead on drafting paper
Blue tongue	Idaho and Alberta		1) Jointly recommend the reclassification from OIE list A to list B 2) Seek state veterinary agreement on appropriate vector survey techniques for blue tongue risk assessment	Blue tongue is an OIE issue, and reclassification from List A to list B will take multilateral agreement; APHIS is expected to take the lead on this with CFIA and technical agencies in other member countries
New generation cooperatives	North Dakota & Manitoba		Organize a meeting in conjunction with producer-producer meeting in fall 2001	This was to be taken up in meeting planned for Jan. 2001
Durum wheat marketing	North Dakota & Saskatchewan		“	The outcome of the U.S. 301 case related to Canadian Wheat Board is a higher immediate priority from Saskatchewan’s perspective
Agricultural biotechnology	Montana & Manitoba		Issues (including GMO wheat and those identified at May 2001 Mexican Conference) to be tabled for discussion at next PSAG meeting	Other areas for concentrated U.S.-Canada activity may be suggested by the May 17-18 trilateral biotech meeting in Guadalajara; NASDA has formed its own biotech task force headed by Sec. Tarburton; Canada has a similar Fed-Prov committee working in this area
Seed certification	Idaho & New Brunswick		Idaho to draft correspondence to CFIA to solicit update on issue.	CFIA general proposal on seed certification promised by June (per discussion with CCA co-chairs)
Swine trade opportunities	Minnesota & Manitoba		General efforts to eradicate disease to facilitate trade to continue.	Pseudorabies controls are an underlying issue.
Domestic supports and subsides for agricultural producers	Utah & Manitoba; New Brunswick & Idaho		Define areas of greatest interest in this area, preparatory for a CCA presentation on domestic supports and subsidies from federal government experts at PSAG meeting next winter	Three different questions appear to be of interest – specifics of programs in certain areas (e.g., cattle and sheep), overall levels of support and their methodologies, and comparative costs of production; CCA co-chairs have asked for a clearer definition of the areas of interest, and stand ready to help organize a formal presentation on this topic
Nursery and ornamental trade	Oregon & British Columbia		Plant health meeting in mid-March to be used a forum to discuss possible trade issues.	U.S. side is interested in facilitating trade; industry opinion divided about possibly replicating Canadian nursery certification approach
Pesticide harmonization	North Dakota & Saskatchewan		Provide detailed information to Canadian side of WG on actions taken by ND on this issue to date	Further discussions to be held to determine possible future action.
Cross-border cattle and product trade	Vermont & Ontario		Definite plan for a border meeting involving producer and processor interest – U.S. lead on drafting a proposal	If Vermont does not wish to take the lead here, another U.S. state will step in
Ongoing bilateral exchanges	Idaho & New Brunswick		Written reports on bilateral exchanges, producer-producer meetings, etc. will be sent to Co-chairs for circulation to Working Group members	1) Northern Plains meeting rescheduled for November, 2001 (Manitoba host) 2) Great Lakes meeting in Guelph in June, 2001 (Ontario host)
Cattle identification systems	Montana & Alberta		Communicate concern to key federal officials that identification systems are as interoperable as promised	This can be communicated both directly by the lead state and province to responsible federal officials, and included in a summary letter from the PSAG chairs to the CCA co-chairs
Working relations with CCA	Idaho & New Brunswick	CCA Co-chairs	Canadian Provincial Ministers will reinforce message at their meeting with Federal agricultural authorities in March	Both sides agree to reinforce the idea that the PSAG-CCA relationship is now working as planned and should be continued; can also be included in joint letter to CCA co-chairs