A series of trade barriers has been created in the last few days involving not only the United States and Canada but now Mexico and Brazil.
Mexico has now refused to accept potatoes from Prince Edward Island, Can., because they claim to have found Potato Virus Y-n in a shipment of New Brunswick potatoes. This leaves 6,000 tons on the line, for owners to either sell somewhere else or dump.
In addition, Brazilian restaurants are dumping Canadian ducks and whiskey. Brazil protesters delivered a cow to the Canadian Embassy for barbecuing. This is because Canada shut out Brazilian beef, which may have been infected with Mad Cow's Disease. Canadians believe some questionable animal feed may have been shipped from Europe.
Growers in the Columbia Basin of Washington are upset that Manitoba continues to block shipments of commercial potatoes to Maple Leaf Foods in Alberta. These would be used for making french fries.
Maple Leaf claims it is unable to meet customer standards with the potatoes they are buying from Alberta. Under Canadian law, a neighboring province can block imports if it believes it can fill the order. Manitoba has sent shipments of potatoes to Maple Leaf that have reportedly been accepted by the processor.
However, Washington growers are now considering boycotting Canadian seed potatoes over the next few weeks because of the refusal to take their commercial potatoes. Alberta supplies most of the seed that is used in the Basin.
This follows on the heels a ruling in British Columbia that western Washington growers cannot ship fresh potatoes into B.C. The Washington potato industry does not believe Alberta seed growers have been very supportive of the Washington growers' dilemma.
A series of trade barriers has been created in the last few days involving not only the United States and Canada but now Mexico and Brazil.
Mexico has now refused to accept potatoes from Prince Edward Island, Can., because they claim to have found Potato Virus Y-n in a shipment of New Brunswick potatoes. This leaves 6,000 tons on the line, for owners to either sell somewhere else or dump.
In addition, Brazilian restaurants are dumping Canadian ducks and whiskey. Brazil protesters delivered a cow to the Canadian Embassy for barbecuing. This is because Canada shut out Brazilian beef, which may have been infected with Mad Cow's Disease. Canadians believe some questionable animal feed may have been shipped from Europe.
Growers in the Columbia Basin of Washington are upset that Manitoba continues to block shipments of commercial potatoes to Maple Leaf Foods in Alberta. These would be used for making french fries.
Maple Leaf claims it is unable to meet customer standards with the potatoes they are buying from Alberta. Under Canadian law, a neighboring province can block imports if it believes it can fill the order. Manitoba has sent shipments of potatoes to Maple Leaf that have reportedly been accepted by the processor.
However, Washington growers are now considering boycotting Canadian seed potatoes over the next few weeks because of the refusal to take their commercial potatoes. Alberta supplies most of the seed that is used in the Basin.
This follows on the heels a ruling in British Columbia that western Washington growers cannot ship fresh potatoes into B.C. The Washington potato industry does not believe Alberta seed growers have been very supportive of the Washington growers' dilemma.