An April 2006 Canadian International Trade Tribunal determination that imports of U.S. grain corn did not, and would not, injure the Canadian corn industry resulted the repeal of provisional duties imposed by the Canada Border Services Agency on imported U.S. grain corn and refunds of those collected since the previous November.

The duties were the result of complaints that U.S. subsidies made it impossible for Canadian growers to compete.

Tuesday's federal court decision to reject a Canadian Corn Producers request for a judicial review of the CITT finding terminates the case.

Canadian Pork Council President Clare Schlegel says the pork industry recognizes the concerns of corn growers but import duties corn are not the solution.

Clare Schlegel-Canadian Pork Council

From a hog production perspective we're users of corn and yet we're in a integrated North American market where the price of pigs is determined in both countries at the same level so we need access to inputs at a similar price to what our American counterparts have them.

That's not only corn or feedgrains but it is also animal health products, vaccines, any of the major inputs that are going into the cost of raising an animal and that really speaks to the whole area of an integrated U.S. Canadian market place for livestock.

We understand the corn producers plight and their difficulties but we certainly could not support a countervail on corn that changed the price of corn in Canada relative to the price of corn in the United States.

Schlegel notes the pork industry has always felt the best approach for dealing with the concerns of Canadian corn growers over U.S. subsidies is for the Canadian government to take U.S. domestic support policies, particularly on feedgrains, through the WTO.