Canada and the United States share one of the most integrated trading relationships in the world, especially when it comes to agriculture.
With ongoing threats of potential tarriffs, this week, the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, travelled to Washington, D.C. where he met with U.S. officials and key stakeholders to underline the importance of maintaining it.
While in Washington, Minister MacAulay met with Ted McKinney, CEO of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA), Wes Ward, President of NASDA and Arkansas Secretary of Agriculture, and Blayne Arthur, Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture on the margins of the 2025 NASDA Winter Policy Conference.
During these meetings, they discussed shared priorities, work to reduce trade barriers, the value of our agricultural trading relationship, and its benefits for both Canadian and American farmers and consumers.
With $101 billion (CAD) in agri-food and seafood bilateral trade in 2024, it's a vital partnership to farmers, businesses, and our food security.
While at the NASDA Winter Policy Conference, Minister MacAulay delivered remarks where he emphasized the importance of the Canada-U.S. relationship in contributing to a strong and prosperous agriculture sector across North America.
He highlighted that $200 million worth of agricultural products cross the U.S.-Canada border daily, underscoring the scale of the trade. The Minister also emphasized the potential negative impacts that tariffs could have on this mutually beneficial trade, which is vital to both countries' economies.
"Canada and the United States are neighbours by chance, and friends by choice. As part of our government's ongoing Team Canada approach, we are committed to preserving and bolstering this vitally important relationship, while standing up for Canadians and supporting our hard working farmers, ranchers, and the communities they support," MacAulay stated.
To conclude his visit, the Minister met with Senator John Boozman, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, Representative Glenn "GT" Thompson, Chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture and Representative Angie Craig, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Agriculture, and representatives from the Meat Institute.
In those meetings, Minister MacAulay reiterated Canada's commitment to being a reliable and indispensable trading partner in agriculture and agri-food products. He also emphasized the highly integrated nature of our supply chains and the negative impacts that U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods would have on both countries' agriculture sectors, workers, and businesses.
Photo Credit: AAFC
Photo: Minister MacAulay wrapped up outreach to Washington where he met with senior U.S. officials; Canada's Ambassador to the U.S., Kirsten Hillman and industry representatives.