Thank you, Madam Chair, to you and your fellow committee members.
I am Doug Sawyer. I'm a rancher out here in the west, in snowy Alberta. I am also a board member of the Canadian Cattlemen's Association, the national voice of Canada's beef farmers and ranchers. With me today is Fawn Jackson, director of government and international relations with the CCA.
Thank you for the opportunity to reappear before the committee regarding the act to implement the agreement on trade continuity between Canada and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. We will refer to this agreement as the “continuity agreement”.
Today we advocate for two things. Firstly, we strongly encourage a swift return to the negotiating table to establish a permanent, progressive and ambitious free trade agreement, with a culmination in the U.K. joining the CPTPP. Secondly, we cannot replicate the trade agreement that we have under CETA in a Canada-U.K. FTA or CPTPP.
I will now expand on these points.
The beef industry is one of Canada's largest agricultural sectors, supporting a total of 228,000 jobs and a contribution of $17.9 billion to GDP. Canadian beef and livestock genetics are sold to 58 markets around the world and about 50% of what we produce is actually exported.
Although COVID has been extremely difficult for all Canadians, agriculture stands out as a vital and resilient part of our whole economy. I am pleased to report that while COVID was very difficult for the first part of the spring of 2020, we were able to recover and the value of trade was up 1.4% in 2020 over 2019. Having a record year, despite the difficult conditions, demonstrates the value of having robust and ambitious trade agreements in place.
Export Development Canada reports that Canada's agricultural exports are growing three times faster than the overall Canadian average, confirming that agricultural products are a net cash generator for Canada's economy and an area for future growth. This is important context indeed for the conversation we are having today about trade, both for recovery and for the long-term economic health of our great country.
Since it became clear that the U.K. would be exiting from the EU, CCA consistently communicated concerns with trade obstacles being carried over from CETA to the Canada-U.K. transitional agreement and any permanent trade agreement with them.
Last time we presented before this committee, the details of the continuity agreement were not available, but today we are able to share some thoughts on what the deal means for Canadian beef producers.
First of all, on access, Canadian beef will have 3,279 tonnes of access in 2021, and 3,869 tonnes in 2022. All beef must be hormone free.
In 2020, Canada exported 1,415 tonnes, which is within the total access we have gained, with some room for growth.
In the same time frame, the U.K. exported 5,393 tonnes to Canada, almost four times more than we exported to them, and significantly over the access we have in their market in this continuity agreement. Under the continuity agreement the U.K. has maintained duty-free access to the Canadian market, so even if we were able to resolve some of the trade limiting factors on our exports, beef will not be a net even trading partner with the U.K.
In 2020, Canada had a negative net beef trade of almost $14 million with the U.K., and a negative net trade of $83 million with the EU. This net trade deficit has grown since the implementation of CETA. The overall Canada-EU beef trade deficit, which includes the U.K., was a half a million dollars in 2018, $17.3 million in 2019 and an astounding $96.8 million for 2020. Needless to say, CCA is significantly concerned with how beef trade with the EU and the U.K. has actually progressed.
Unfortunately, because of the growing trade imbalance between Canada and the EU, we have had to ask the Government of Canada for some compensation. In future agreements, we must obtain reciprocal access. Anything less is unacceptable to our beef producers. It is disappointing to see that this reciprocity has not been obtained in the continuity agreement.
As you all know, CCA as an organization is a proud advocate of free trade, but we cannot have free trade in one direction without free trade in the other direction.
The continuity agreement does have some improvements. We are pleased with the tariff rate quota, TRQ, administration that will be handled on a first-come, first-served basis, which will make shipping to the U.K. less burdensome. Previously, the quota access was managed through a licensing system. We also recognize that this is a continuity agreement largely replicating CETA, and that without a trade agreement in place, the Canada-U.K. trading relationship could have fallen back to the MFN tariffs, which could halt trade between Canada and the United Kingdom.
For the reasons we have discussed today, CCA's highest priority is achieving a long-term FTA with the U.K. that resolves trade barriers and enables reciprocal trade. CCA is pleased to see both governments committed to negotiating a full FTA starting this year, and encourages both parties to do so, especially given the U.K.'s formal application for access into CPTPP.
Aside from reciprocal access, which we stress is imperative, there are a number of other factors that need to be addressed under a future trade agreement with the United Kingdom. We also advocate for a full systems approval. Canada has a world-renowned food safety and meat inspection system that is recognized throughout—