Kohl brings U.S. insight to Ottawa
The renowned ag economist offers a unique view of U.S. agriculture and Canada's global competitiveness.
Should Canadian farmers care what happens in Washington? For a host of reasons – from BSE to farm subsidies to currency issues – the answer is yes.
That's why the upcoming visit of Dr. David Kohl to Ottawa is so important. The Virginia Tech agricultural economist, a long-time RBC Royal Bank associate, will hold two days of meetings in the capital in April 2005.
Kohl will discuss U.S. farm policy, and issues relating to global competitiveness, with three groups: members of Parliament, public servants working in agriculture, and agriculture and food industry representatives in Ottawa.
"Things are changing in agriculture in the U.S.," says Kohl. "It's more important than ever for Canadian agriculture to understand what's happening in Washington and on American farms."
As his first order of business in Ottawa, Kohl will explore the emerging shape of U.S. farm policy in the second Bush administration. Second, he'll outline a series of global issues that are affecting the agricultural competitiveness of both the U.S. and Canada.
Kohl's view is that the global competitiveness of North America can no longer be taken for granted. Producers – and the public policy framework governing agriculture – will increasingly need to take this reality into account.
"Producers in both the U.S. and Canada are struggling with how to position themselves to be globally competitive," he says. "One of the key questions is the role that government policy can play."
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