From Walter Neufeld. After Harper traded Canadian manufacturing and jobs to China in exchange for the privilege of sending Canada’s raw resources to China, Ed Fast takes a moment to explain why it’s in Canada’s best interest to trade its food production capacity to Europe in exchange for the privilege of sending Canada’s raw resources to Europe.
China and Europe are pleased with their Canadian Free Trade contractual agreements.
But while Canadian companies using the names Feta, Asiago, Gorgonzola and Munster will also be able to continue using those distinctive terms, future producers will have to add words such as “like” or “imitation” to describe their new products. For example, the label would have to say something such as “Munster-like” or “Imitation Feta.”
It wasn’t clear the extent to which this new requirement may impact the Canadian dairy sector, or whether the new requirement will also apply to other products such as Asiago cheese bagels and Greek feta salad dressings.
Dairy Farmers of Canada spokeswoman Therese Beaulieu described the arrangement as “unfair” and warned it will negatively affect Canadian cheese producers trying to enter the market. Canadian dairy farmers were already upset about a doubling of EU access to Canada’s supply managed cheese sector.
You can follow Walter Neufeld on Facebook