Rick Bergmann of Steinbach, Manitoba, knows a thing or two about navigating harsh agricultural climates. As president of Buckingham Ag, a Canadian wholesale distributor focused on livestock and poultry production, and as past president of the Canadian Pork Council, he brings a broad view of the industry’s pressures, from farmgate to global trade tables.
“Things always change to the point where they remain the same,” said Bergmann. “Political parties come and go, and with them, policy changes. But agriculture always requires leadership, vision, and real action—not just talk.”
That comment frames his outlook on recent events affecting the agriculture sector, particularly trade, tariffs, and tensions between Canada and the U.S. “Sometimes governments open up corridors for Canadian products,” he said. “But other times, they spend more time talking than doing, and that lack of effort hurts producers.”
He points to the ongoing challenges facing Canada’s canola growers as a prime example. “There’s a lot of uncertainty, and I honestly don’t know if enough is to fix it,” said Bergmann. “That’s the concern—when government doesn’t respond with the urgency that’s needed, the challenge just continues.”
The same goes for pork. As someone who helped guide the Canadian Pork Council through critical trade discussions, he understands the gravity of disruptions to longstanding trade relationships. “Manitoba exports a huge volume of pork and live hogs into the U.S. Midwest,” he said. “That model has worked for decades. Producers built barns on that model. Banks lent money on that model. If politics disrupt something that’s working, producers suffer.”
Bergmann emphasizes that it’s not just about Manitoba. “We can’t just think provincially. We need leadership at the national level that unites regions. If a disruption happens in one province, it impacts us all,” he said.
From his perspective at Buckingham Ag, which imports and distributes livestock and poultry products worldwide, the tension between Canadian and U.S. policy poses challenges, but not overwhelmingly. “There’s been angst, for sure,” said Bergmann. “We deal with manufacturers in the U.S., and I tell them straight: our customers can’t afford nonsense. They won’t pay for tariff-related cost hikes.”
Bergmann describes these negotiations as “productive arm-wrestling.” “We push back when we need to,” he said. “And so far, we’ve kept most of the impact off our customers.”
Still, he admits the situation has revealed weaknesses. “Some of our manufacturers need to tighten up their logistics and freight operations,” he said. “In a way, the disruption has been a wake-up call, and that’s not always bad.”
That wake-up call extends beyond suppliers. Bergmann says Canada’s over reliance on the U.S. market has made diversification more urgent than ever. “We’ve always said we don’t want to cut the U.S. off—it’s not about that,” he explains. “It’s about expanding. We can’t just put all our eggs in one basket.”
He recalls a conversation with a global trade advisor who said Canadian exporters have finally realized there are other countries worth selling to. “It took a trade disruption to get us looking outward,” said Bergmann. “Sometimes you need the waves to rise before you can spot a better path.”
Bergmann just received an email during the interview that drives the point home. “It’s about a U.S. manufacturer who sources materials from outside the U.S.,” he said. “If they can divert some of that product and ship it directly to Canada from a third country we have strong trade ties with, we can cut freight and avoid tariffs. That’s real-time adaptation.”
Looking at Canada’s broader trade landscape, Bergmann sees both challenge and opportunity. “There’s no shortage of markets that wants Canadian protein,” he said. “The key is ensuring we stay competitive on quality, logistics, and pricing.”
And that takes leadership. “The farm community is doing its part,” said Bergmann. “Now we need federal leadership that doesn’t just talk about support for agriculture but acts on it. That means ensuring trade corridors stay open, smoothing out logistics, and investing in long-term relationships beyond the U.S.”
Reflecting on how things have changed—and stayed the same—Bergmann circles back to a common theme. “The models that worked in the past can still work,” he said. “But they need to be protected, respected, and adapted. We’ve had some disruption, yes. But out of that can come better systems, stronger partnerships, and maybe even new growth.”
As the industry pushes through another cycle of uncertainty, Bergmann believes in the resilience of Canadian producers. “They’ve been through a lot,” he said. “They know how to pivot. They need the tools and the freedom to do it.” •
— By Harry Siemens