WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today pushed U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman to protect North Dakota grain growers from unfair treatment, after a report she requested showed that Canada is segregating North Dakota grain and offering unfair prices to U.S. producers at Canadian elevators.

Heitkamp and North Dakota farmers have long known that Canada’s practices disadvantage U.S. producers and violate Canada’s trade obligations. Canadian growers aren’t subject to the same discriminatory treatment when delivering to North Dakota grain elevators, where their grain is graded based on its intrinsic qualities and not based on where it is grown.

“North Dakota grows the best wheat and barley in the world, which is why it’s particularly frustrating to see Canadian elevators treat our farmers unfairly,” said Heitkamp. “The USDA study I requested on this issue made clear what we already knew: Canada segregates North Dakota grain and offers unfair prices. If these practices are in fact a violation of Canada’s obligations – as I believe they are – the U.S. Trade Representative should hold Canada accountable, so North Dakota producers can sell to Canadian elevators at the fair prices Canadian farmers already enjoy at North Dakota elevators.”

In October 2015, the Agricultural Reauthorization Act that the President signed included a provision Heitkamp wrote to require a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) report on whether or not Canadian policies at grain elevators comply with its trade obligations, as well as report on efforts to rectify the discrimination.

In the final report, produced this year, USDA outlined policies that hinder North Dakota producers’ abilities to receive a premium grade designation for their grain in Canada. The report also documented the resulting price discount associated with the lower grade.

As a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture and Ranking Member on Subcommittee on Rural Development & Energy, Heitkamp has worked tirelessly to protect and strengthen programs that are critical to North Dakota farmers, families, and small businesses – from crop insurance to the school lunch program.

Click here to read Heitkamp’s letter to U.S. Trade Representative Froman.