The increased access is expected to boost exports of pork products by $100 million over the next five years, and $125 million for beef producers over the same time frame.

Canada has agreed to drop a decades-old trade dispute against the European Union's restriction of beef imports thanks to terms in the recently enacted Canada-EU trade agreement. 

Word that China has joined a growing list of countries to impose temporary trade restrictions on beef imports from Canada has caused concern among some Alberta beef producers.