Communications

Grain Growers of Canada Statement on Canada–China Trade Developments

Hana Sabah on January 16, 2026

OTTAWA, Jan. 16, 2026 — Grain Growers of Canada welcomes renewed engagement between Canada and China, including Prime Minister Mark Carney’s visit to Beijing and today’s announcement of preliminary steps to de-escalate recent trade tensions.

For Canada’s grain farmers, restoring predictability and access to key export markets matters. China is Canada’s second-largest grain market, and prolonged trade disruptions have had real consequences on farm revenues, cash flow, and confidence. Any progress that lowers barriers for Canadian agricultural products, including canola and pulses, is a positive step for farmers who depend on stable, rules-based trade.

Grain Growers of Canada has consistently called for pragmatic engagement with both the United States and China to protect tariff-free access and prevent farmers from becoming collateral damage in broader geopolitical disputes. Over 70 percent of the grain grown in Canada is exported, and there are simply no alternatives that can replace markets of this scale.

At the same time, renewed engagement must be grounded in predictability and follow-through. Canadian farmers need assurance that market access will be durable, transparent, and insulated as much as possible from future political escalation. Ongoing issues around trade enforcement, regulatory certainty, and the treatment of Canadian exports will require continued, steady government attention.

As discussions continue following this week’s announcements, Grain Growers of Canada urges the federal government to keep agriculture front and centre, work closely with producers and exporters, and ensure that progress translates into reliable market access at the farm gate.

Canadian grain farmers are ready to supply global markets. What they need from government is consistency, certainty, and a clear commitment to keeping trade working.

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About Grain Growers of Canada (GGC):

As the national voice for Canada’s grain farmers, Grain Growers of Canada (GGC) represents over 100,000 producers through our 15 national, provincial and regional grower groups. Our members steward 120 million acres of land to grow food for Canadians and for 160 countries around the world, creating $45 billion in export value annually. As the farmer-driven association for the grains sector, GGC champions federal policies that support the competitiveness and profitability of grain growers across Canada.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Hana Sabah
Sr. Communications Manager
Grain Growers of Canada
hana@graingrowers.ca | 514-834-8841

 

Grain Farmers of Ontario Joins Grain Growers of Canada, Strengthening National Advocacy

Hana Sabah on January 8, 2026

OTTAWA and GUELPH, Ont., Jan. 8, 2026 — Canada’s grain sector is strengthening its national advocacy voice as Grain Farmers of Ontario formally joins Grain Growers of Canada, with federal decisions on trade, transportation, research, and infrastructure taking centre stage.

Grain Growers of Canada represents grain farmers through its national, provincial, and regional member organizations, bringing a unified national voice to federal discussions on behalf of grain producers across the country. For nearly 25 years, the organization has advocated for the grain sector’s competitiveness and long-term viability, advancing policy grounded in on-farm realities for a sector generating $45 billion in annual exports.

“For decades, grain farmers have been dealing with the fallout of long-standing issues that have been left unresolved,” said Scott Hepworth, chair, Grain Growers of Canada. “Global market instability is exposing cracks across the system, and Grain Farmers of Ontario joining Grain Growers of Canada reflects just how broad these pressures are and why a unified national voice, representing every major grain-producing region, is critical now.”

Ontario is one of Canada’s largest grain-producing provinces and a critical contributor to the country’s export economy. Grain Farmers of Ontario joins Grain Growers of Canada alongside its 14 other grain grower groups from across the country, strengthening national representation to ensure the sector can continue to move grain efficiently, compete internationally, and respond to changing market conditions.

“Ontario’s grain farmers are strongest when we stand united with our peers across Canada,” said Jeff Harrison, chair, Grain Farmers of Ontario. “Joining the Grain Growers of Canada is a strategic decision that reflects today’s political landscape and positions all grain farmers for long-term success. We bring deep expertise and a strong voice to national discussions, and we are committed to working collaboratively to advance policies that benefit farmers from coast to coast.”

Together, Grain Farmers of Ontario and Grain Growers of Canada will work to ensure federal policy frameworks governing a wide range of critical topics – such as trade, transportation, research, and infrastructure – reflect the operational realities of grain farming and the consequences those decisions carry for Canada’s export economy.

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About Grain Growers of Canada (GGC):

As the national voice for Canada’s grain farmers, Grain Growers of Canada (GGC) represents over 100,000 producers through our 15 national, provincial and regional grower groups. Our members steward 120 million acres of land to grow food for Canadians and for 160 countries around the world, creating $45 billion in export value annually. As the farmer-driven association for the grains sector, GGC champions federal policies that support the competitiveness and profitability of grain growers across Canada.

About Grain Farmers of Ontario:

Grain Farmers of Ontario is the province’s largest commodity organization, representing Ontario’s 28,000 barley, corn, oat, soybean, and wheat farmers. The crops they grow cover more than six million acres of farmland, generate over $4.1 billion in production value, contribute over $27 billion in economic output, and support more than 90,000 jobs across the province.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Hana Sabah
Sr. Communications Manager
Grain Growers of Canada
hana@graingrowers.ca | 514-834-8841

Susan Blundell
Director, Communications
Grain Farmers of Ontario
226-820-6641 |  sblundell@gfo.ca   media@gfo.ca

 

Budget 2025 Provides Clarity for Canadian Grain Farmers but Raises Concerns for Competitiveness

Hana Sabah on November 4, 2025

OTTAWA, Nov. 4, 2025—Grain Growers of Canada (GGC) responded to targeted wins for grain farmers in Budget 2025, including the permanent reversal of the capital gains tax increase, but cautioned that other measures could undermine farm competitiveness.

“Budget 2025 acknowledged the impact that the capital gains tax increase would have had on family-run grain farms across Canada by permanently reversing it,” began Kyle Larkin, Executive Director of GGC. “This will ensure that family farms can continue their succession planning with certainty and that the next generation of farmers does not pay millions of dollars more in taxes.”

The budget also allocated significant sums towards trade diversification, including in response to the challenges that growers are currently facing due to Chinese tariffs on canola and peas. This includes the creation of a Strategic Exports Office and funds for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to modernize trade tools and secure market access.

“I’m seeing first-hand how trade uncertainty is impacting grain farmers across the country,” said Scott Hepworth, Chair of Grain Growers of Canada and a grain farmer from Saskatchewan. “With challenges in the U.S. and tariffs in China, producers are under real pressure. The new investments in digital export tools and market diversification are positive steps. We need every tool available to keep grain moving, find new customers, and protect our bottom line in an unpredictable global environment.”

Infrastructure also features prominently in Budget 2025, with $213 million for the Major Projects Office to coordinate public and private investment and a new $5 billion Trade Diversification Fund to strengthen Canada’s export corridors. With nearly 70% of Canadian grain exported, efficient port infrastructure remains vital to keeping products moving to global markets on time and competitively.

“We continue to urge the government to add the Port of Vancouver to the next major projects list,” said Larkin. “It’s the single most important export gateway for Canadian grain, and its inclusion would send a clear signal that Ottawa is serious about improving trade competitiveness.”

Missing from the budget, however, was any commitment to extended interswitching, a key measure that expired in March 2025 and had allowed the sector to access competing rail lines, reducing shipping costs and improving service. “Without extended interswitching, farmers lose a competitive tool that kept costs in check and performance accountable,” Larkin warned.

GGC also expressed concern over the government’s plan to reduce Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s operating budget by 15% over three years, a move that could undermine public research and breeding programs essential to innovation and productivity.

“While Budget 2025 provides much-needed clarity for farmers, it falls short of delivering the full competitiveness framework needed,” continued Larkin. “We look forward to continuing to work with the government to ensure the sector remains competitive, resilient, and profitable to drive Canada’s export economy.”

For media inquiries, please contact:

Hana Sabah
Manager, Communications
Grain Growers of Canada
hana@graingrowers.ca | 514-834-8841

 

Major projects list incomplete without the Port of Vancouver, says GGC

Hana Sabah on September 11, 2025

MEDIA STATEMENT

OTTAWA, Sept. 11, 2025—Grain Growers of Canada (GGC) warns that the federal government’s major projects list remains incomplete without the inclusion of urgent upgrades required at the Port of Vancouver, Canada’s largest port and the country’s most critical trade chokepoint.

Connecting the Canadian economy to the fast-growing Indo-Pacific region, the Port of Vancouver is essential to Canada’s economic growth and prosperity. More than 50% of the grain grown in Canada is exported through the port, accounting for $35 million in daily exports of grain and grain products. Yet the infrastructure that underpins this trade, such as the Second Narrows Rail Bridge and New Westminster Rail Bridge, built in 1969 and 1904 respectively, are chokepoints at capacity with no redundancy if they fail.

GGC is calling on the Government of Canada and the Major Projects Office to designate the Port of Vancouver and its connecting rail infrastructure as a project of national significance to secure trade, protect economic growth, and maintain Canada’s reputation as a reliable supplier of essential products to the world.

Unless critical trade-enabling infrastructure is prioritized, GGC says, Canada’s nation-building agenda will remain incomplete and fall short of its economic potential.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Hana Sabah
Manager, Communications
Grain Growers of Canada
hana@graingrowers.ca | 514-834-8841

 

Grain Growers of Canada Announces New Executive

ggc2022dev on July 31, 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OTTAWA, July 31, 2025—Grain Growers of Canada (GGC) is pleased to announce its newly elected executive, representing a strong and united voice for grain farmers across the country.

Scott Hepworth, a grain farmer from Assiniboia, Saskatchewan and Director with the Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission, has been elected Chair of GGC. With deep roots in prairie agriculture and a strong background in policy advocacy, Hepworth brings steady leadership and a clear vision to the role at a critical time for the sector. 

Joining him on the executive are Sally Parsonage, a grain farmer from Baldur, Manitoba and Secretary of Manitoba Crop Alliance, as 1st Vice Chair, and Daryl Fransoo, a grain farmer from Glaslyn, Saskatchewan and the Chair of the Wheat Growers Association, as 2nd Vice Chair. Together, they bring strong governance experience and a clear understanding of the policy environment shaping Canadian grain production. 

“We are proud to welcome our new executive, whose leadership brings valuable experience and a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing grain farmers,” said Kyle Larkin, Executive Director of GGC. “With Scott, Sally, and Daryl’s leadership in these roles, GGC is well positioned to advance short-term and long-term policy solutions that strengthen the profitability, resiliency, and viability of family-run grain farms across Canada.” 

The new executive begins its term effective immediately.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Hana Sabah
Manager, Communications
Grain Growers of Canada
hana@graingrowers.ca | 514-834-8841

 

Parliament Leaves Grain Farmers Behind by Passing Bill C-202

ggc2022dev on June 18, 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OTTAWA, June 18, 2025—Grain Growers of Canada (GGC) is disappointed in Parliament’s decision to pass Bill C-202 without the thorough review and scrutiny required by parliamentarians, without consideration of its impact on international trade, and without regard for Canada’s export-oriented grain sector.

The legislation, which amends the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Act to prohibit the inclusion of supply-managed goods in future trade negotiations, poses serious risks to the livelihoods of Canada’s 70,000 grain farmers, who export more than 70% of what they grow.

“Despite the government’s stated commitment to growing Canada’s economy and expanding international trade, the first bill passed by the 45th Parliament restricts our trade negotiators’ ability to secure the best possible deals for Canadians,” said Kyle Larkin, Executive Director of GGC. “This legislation received unanimous consent from Members of Parliament without consulting with the Canadians it impacts the most, forcing the Senate to fast-track a flawed bill.” 

Grain farmers, who rely on predictable, rules-based trade, export wheat, barley, canola, pulses, and other commodities to more than 160 countries, generating over $45 billion in export value each year. Bill C-202 now stands to undermine Canada’s ability to pursue and safeguard new and existing trade agreements that both support the sector’s export growth and the country’s long-term economic prosperity.

 “With critical trade negotiations and renegotiations ahead, including with our largest trading partner, the United States, passing Bill C-202 sends the wrong message internationally,” added Larkin. “For grain farmers who rely on access to international markets, the result will be less ambitious trade agreements, fewer export opportunities, and slower economic growth at home.”

The Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) is scheduled for review in 2026 and could lead to a full renegotiation. At the same time, the federal government is pursuing a free trade agreement with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a region that holds significant potential for expanding Canada’s agriculture and agri-food exports.

“Parliament chose to prioritize one group of farmers over another,” said Scott Hepworth, Acting Chair of GGC. “As a grain producer, I know firsthand how important international trade is to my family’s livelihood. Without reliable access to global markets, farmers like me are left behind. With Bill C-202 now passed, the government must refocus its efforts on helping grain farmers grow more food and expand our exports.”

To grow Canada’s economy and support grain farmers, GGC is calling on the government to seriously address issues impacting international trade. This includes critical infrastructure investments, especially at the Port of Vancouver, returning funding levels in public plant breeding research to pre-2013 levels, and bolstering the work of the Market Access Secretariat to address barriers to trade.

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For media inquiries, please contact:

Hana Sabah
Manager, Communications
Grain Growers of Canada
hana@graingrowers.ca | 514-834-8841

 

Leadership Update at Grain Growers of Canada

ggc2022dev on May 22, 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Ottawa, ON  –  May 22, 2025) Today, Grain Growers of Canada (GGC) announced that Tara Sawyer has stepped down from her role as Chair of the Board of Directors. Tara has been a passionate advocate for Canadian grain farmers, and we thank her for her leadership, dedication, and service to the organization during her time on the Board.

In accordance with GGC’s governance structure, 1st Vice Chair Scott Hepworth will serve as Acting Chair until a new Chair is elected by the Board in July. Scott represents Sask Wheat and is a fourth-generation grain producer from Assiniboia, Saskatchewan, where he grows durum, wheat, lentils, and canola.

As part of this transition, 2nd Vice Chair Sally Parsonage will assume the role of Acting 1st Vice Chair. Sally represents Manitoba Crop Alliance and is a grain farmer from Baldur, Manitoba.

We thank Tara once again for her contributions and look forward to continuing our work in building a strong and profitable future for Canada’s grain farmers.

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For media inquiries, please contact:

Grain Growers of Canada

media@graingrowers.ca | 514-834-8841

 

GGC Welcomes New Cabinet, Urges Immediate Action on Trade and Tax Relief

ggc2022dev on May 13, 2025

Grain Growers of Canada Welcomes New Federal Government, Urges Immediate Action on Key Farm Priorities

ggc2022dev on April 29, 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Ottawa, ON – April 29, 2025) Grain Growers of Canada (GGC) welcomes Prime Minister Mark Carney and all Members of Parliament elected to Canada’s 45th Parliament and is urging the new government to act swiftly to address the pressing challenges facing Canadian grain farmers.

“The stakes of this election could not have been higher for grain farmers,” said Kyle Larkin, Executive Director of GGC. “From rising input costs and global market uncertainty to transportation bottlenecks and regulatory pressures, producers are facing a growing list of challenges that require immediate federal attention.”

To deliver meaningful relief, GGC is urging the government to reverse the capital gains tax increase, permanently eliminate the carbon tax for on-farm activities, and resolve ongoing trade uncertainty with the United States and China.

“The capital gains tax increase and the carbon tax are not abstract issues for farmers,” said Tara Sawyer, Chair of GGC and a grain farmer from Acme, Alberta. “They directly impact whether we can invest in new equipment, transfer the farm on to the next generation, and continue contributing to the economy. We need immediate action to support the continued viability of family-run grain farms.”

During the election, GGC helped raise awareness of these challenges through its Vote for Grain campaign, which saw hundreds of letters sent to political candidates across the country. The campaign also urged the government to invest in trade-enabling infrastructure, improve transportation systems, modernize regulations, support plant breeding innovation, and defend access to global markets through rules-based trade.

“Grain farmers are ready to be an equal partner with government in growing Canada’s economy,” said Larkin. “We look forward to working with Prime Minister Mark Carney and all Members of Parliament in addressing short-term challenges and creating long-term policies that support family farms across Canada.”

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For media inquiries, please contact:

Grain Growers of Canada

media@graingrowers.ca | 514-834-8841

 

GGC launches Vote for Grain campaign to give farmers a voice this election

ggc2022dev on March 24, 2025

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