The chief agricultural economist with Farm Credit Canada (FCC) says 2019 was a very volatile, uncertain year.

JP Gervais says two things really stand out for the agriculture sector, trade and weather.

He notes China’s ban on canola seed shipments from two of our biggest exporters is still an issue.

"That really was a major, major event. We had canola prices that really started to somewhat decline at the end of 2018, going into early 2019 but certainly that brought canola prices even further down with the ban of canola seed going to China...Then in the summer we had also another ban with regards to our Canadian pork and beef exports."

Beef and pork exports to China have since been lifted with product slowly starting to move again.