Canadian growers shake their heads at talk of boycotting US goods

Boycott reports and posts have been popping up with an increasing frequency after U.S. president Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau began a public fight over tariffs of goods following a weekend G7 meeting of economic powers in Quebec less than two weeks ago. While President Trump said he’d put penalties in place on steel and aluminum imports, Prime Minister Trudeau responded that Canada would not be “pushed around” by the U.S. and called the tariffs “insulting.”

But Canadian growers say boycott talk should cool down.

“They have to separate themselves from the political noise. Just let the politicians work on NAFTA,” says Jim Veri of Exeter Produce in Exeter, Ont. Veri also notes that the current U.S. administration has a very different negotiating mindset than their predecessors. “It’s just a negotiation and the more people talk about boycotts, the more they fuel a fire that isn’t there,” he says. “I don’t think anyone disputes that America has a trading surplus with Canada. It’s part of a negotiation and it’s up to Canada’s negotiators to negotiate wisely.”

Joseph M. Sbrocchi agrees. “The U.S. and Canada are linked very very closely, even without NAFTA. There was a sound business and trading relationship between the countries prior to NAFTA but I think NAFTA has made it better,” says Sbrocchi of the Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers based in Leamington, Ont. “But NAFTA is more than 23 years old and it was time to modernize it. On both sides of the equation. When it comes to our industries, growing and edible horticulture, there’s too much to lose in both directions.”

Sbrocchi also adds that when the debate between the leaders is so public, it’s natural for people to feel threatened by what’s being said. “But I don’t really feel that that’s the case for our sector,” he says.

In addition, talk of a boycott could also hurt Canadian companies. “We have a number of members who have operations in Canada and the U.S. and a buy Canadian-boycott U.S. approach would hurt some of my members,” says Linda Delli Santi of the Surrey, BC-based BC Greenhouse Growers’ Association. “I do have concerns about an impending trade war and if that really helps anyone. But I’m not sure how effective this boycotting idea would be.”

Meanwhile, some U.S. growers are also keeping an eye on boycott talk. “As of now we are still shipping Florida citrus weekly to Canada and have felt no ill-effects from the political rhetoric,” says one Florida citrus shipper. “We are very aware of this being a highly sensitive issue and monitoring it closely.”