Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) talks were up in the air this week, stirring up more conversation about supply management in Canada. The provinces have been weighing in on the talk, with Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall publicly supporting the massive trade deal on Facebook, while the Ontario government is a little more anxious, having written a letter to federal Trade Minister Ed Fast in regards to concerns about the automotive and agricultural sectors.

Agriculture ministers from Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick also went to Atlanta this week to express their concerns about the TPP.

While Manitoba is not at the negotiating table, Agriculture, Food, and Rural Development Minister Ron Kostyshyn says it is important to support the TPP, but not at the expense of Canadian dairy farmers.

"We felt as government that we needed to say supply management is very key. The other thing that's very key is that it's locally processed food," he says in a conference call Friday morning. "It's an economic drive to the province of Manitoba and also an added value of opportunities."

However, in an email following the phone conference, Kostyshyn also notes the importance of the TPP to other aspects of Manitoba agriculture, such as canola, wheat, and hogs, which are largely exported and make up 54 per cent of Manitoba's farm cash receipts.

TPP talks continued into Friday, although no further announcements have been made about negotiations.