Farms.com Home   Ag Industry News

Cdn. cattle sector welcomes new NAFTA

Cdn. cattle sector welcomes new NAFTA

Tariffs on beef aren’t part of the trilateral agreement

By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com

Canada’s beef industry is pleased with the outcome of recent negotiations between Canada and the United States.

Neither country made any concessions or announced any tariffs on beef in the U.S.-Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA). The new trade deal will replace NAFTA once all three federal governments ratify the deal.

“Any time we can keep trade doors open, it has to be seen as good news,” Kevin Krebs, a beef producer from Didsbury, Alta., told Farms.com. “We raise a lot of beef, so the more beef products we can see leaving our country without any tariffs or disruptions is great for the industry.”

The U.S. also didn’t include country of origin labeling (COOL) in the USMCA.

COOL requires meat packaging to disclose where the animal was born, raised and slaughtered. But because some ground meat packaging contains product from Canada and Mexico, it’s difficult to differentiate between them.

Canada and Mexico have rejected COOL on several occasions and have even taken the issue to the World Trade Organization.

No COOL in the trilateral agreement is another victory for the Canadian beef industry.

“I’m certainly grateful that (COOL) isn’t part of the deal,” Fred Lozeman, a beef producer from Claresholm, Alta., told Farms.com. “We’ve enjoyed a good trade relationship with the United States and Mexico for a long time, so it’s good for us to see that it’s going to continue.”

The U.S. cattle industry, however, sees COOL’s exclusion differently.

The U.S. Cattlemen’s Association is “disappointed that the Administration turned its back on U.S. cattle producers,” said Kenny Granger, president of the organization, reports indicate.


Trending Video

Dr. David Rosero: Fat Quality in Swine Diets

Video: Dr. David Rosero: Fat Quality in Swine Diets

In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. David Rosero from Iowa State University explores the critical aspects of fat quality and oxidation in swine diets. He discusses how different types of lipids affect pig performance and provides actionable insights on managing lipid oxidation in feed mills. Don’t miss this episode—available on all major platforms.

Highlight quote: "Increasing levels of oxidized fats in swine diets reduced the efficiency of feed utilization, increased mortality, and led to more pigs being classified as culls, reducing the number of full-value pigs entering the finishing barns."

Meet the guest: Dr. David Rosero / davidrosero is an assistant professor of animal science at Iowa State University. His research program focuses on conducting applied research on swine nutrition and the practical application of smart farming. He previously served as the technical officer for The Hanor Company, overseeing nutrition, research, and innovation efforts.