The Canadian Meat Council has joined the Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance, strengthening the agri-food sector’s trade advocacy ahead of the upcoming review of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico trade agreement.
The move, announced Monday, gives Canada’s meat sector a larger role in CAFTA’s trade policy work as exporters prepare for a more complex global trade environment.
Meat processing is one of Canada’s largest manufacturing employers, generating $43.8 billion in annual sales, or about 25% of all Canadian food processing. The sector also supports more than 300,000 direct and indirect jobs, while CMC members process more than 90% of Canada’s meat and supply both domestic consumers and more than 90 international markets.
“Joining as a Friend of CAFTA is a strategic step forward at a pivotal moment for our industry,” said Kyle Larkin, President and CEO of CMC. “With the 2026 CUSMA review on the horizon and global market volatility increasing, it’s more important than ever that the agri-food sector speaks with a unified voice.”
CAFTA represents producers, processors and exporters across Canada’s agri-food sector, working in Ottawa and internationally to improve market access and reduce trade barriers.
The CUSMA review, expected to begin in July, will assess how the North American trade pact has functioned since taking effect in 2020 and whether Canada, the U.S. and Mexico will extend it for another 16 years. For Canadian agri-food exporters, the process could affect tariff-free access, regulatory alignment and dispute handling for products including dairy, grains, meat, and processed foods.
CAFTA president Greg Northey said CMC’s membership adds scale, market reach and trade expertise as Canada approaches the review and other global trade negotiations.
Together, CAFTA and CMC said they will focus on shared priorities, including market access and reducing tariff and non-tariff barriers.
