(file photo/farmnewsNOW Staff)

By Alice McFarlane

Canola tariffs remain in effect

Year in Review: Canola producers eye 2026 deadline on tariffs

Dec 22, 2025 | 3:58 PM

Many producers are wondering if Canada and China can resolve their trade disputes.

There’s no doubt the canola tariffs from China took out a huge market for canola growers in Saskatchewan.

The tariffs on canola meal, oil, and seed have been in effect for the majority of the year and SaskOilseeds chair Dean Roberts said all eyes are on the date of March 9, 2026, the deadline when China will make its final decision on the tariffs.

“We’re all watching that Mar. 9 deadline that China has set for their final determination or final decision on the current tariffs on seed. That’s really what we’re watching right now,” Roberts said. “Hopefully we can get some certainty around that timeline. But at this point, we really have no indication.”

Roberts said the government keeps signaling that things are going better. But it’s December on the farm, and he said his canola price doesn’t feels better.

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“Unfortunately, I feel we have to just keep waiting and watching, but it’s getting very uncomfortable to maintain this position.”

Roberts believes the agriculture community has the attention of government officials.

“I think they’re certainly hearing us. We’ve put enough effort into lobbying or advising Ottawa on our situation. They seem to be listening, they seem to be understanding, but ultimately, we’re still kind of waiting on action here,” he said.

Roberts said there is work being done to determine what the financial damages are from the tariffs.

“There was the announcement last March around oil and meal, then there was the final determination on the seed. It gets really hard to unpack where all the damages occurred and when, going back a full year to when the process was initially started by China. But, yes, work is underway to quantify it and try and understand just how big of a financial sacrifice farmers had to take.”

There have been calls for Ottawa to provide compensation due to the tariffs. Roberts said, so far, support for the canola sector has been limited to an increase in the interest-free cash advance. He said farmers need to be treated the same as other industries.

“When you look at the support for lumber, other industries, they’ve received much different support than we have. Those changes to the Advance Payment Program, while appreciated, weren’t terribly impactful,” Roberts said. ” On our farm, it was a very short-term relief measure. We’re really focused on that Mar. 9 deadline and getting the market reopened.”

Roberts added this is the second time in six years that a decision made by the Canadian Government has resulted in trade action against canola. He said farmers are tired of it.

“We want to see our government acknowledge the financial sacrifice that we’ve made, and we want protection from it happening now and into the future. The longer this goes on, the bigger the impact. If we get trade reinstated, that’s one thing, but if this starts to drag on into another year, those damages build and build. So really, we’re looking for acknowledgement from the federal government and treatment the same as other industries.”

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alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com