With Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) talks resuming in Atlanta this week, the Green Party of Canada is calling the massive trade deal a sham. Green Party ag critic Kate Storey, a Manitoba farmer, says while Greens want trade, they want different deals than ones such as the TPP or the Canada and European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).

"That word 'free' sounds very nice, but in reality these agreement mean the dumping of foreign food into Canada, while the other countries get to put up barriers to keep our grain and our pigs and our beef out," she says.

Many groups, like the Canadian Pork Council and Canada Agri-Food Trade Alliance, are urging for Canada to be included in the TPP agreement, with commodities like canola and pork exporting well over half of what is produced in Canada. But Storey says deals like CETA and TPP won't actually open any more doors for farmers.

"There's nothing about trade, really, in CETA and TPP. It's an investor rights agreement — it's about giving investments in Canada the right to sue the government in case we change our laws," she says. "We want different agreements that don't involve those poison clauses."

Trade is just one part of the Green Party ag platform, as Storey says being local and sustainable is also important.

The Green Party wants more research to be spent on organic practices, and for that information to be available to farmers for free. Storey says while no one can force a farmer to become organic, they want to make it a viable option for producers, as Greens think consumers are becoming more wary of chemicals.

The Green Party also believes growing, processing, and buying local food is a good way to support farmers.

Storey will not be at the National Agriculture Leaders Debate in Ottawa tomorrow, but rather Bruce Hyer will represent the Green Party.