Nearly 100 leading Farm Groups from Canada’s agriculture and agri-food sector have written to Mark Carney asking for a full 16-year renewal of the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement (CUSMA).
Broad Agricultural Support for CUSMA
The open letter, addressed to Canada’s federal government, carries endorsements from a wide range of organizations.
It includes beef, pork, dairy, horticulture, aquaculture, seafood, equipment manufacturing, and food-processing groups among many others.
The groups argued that CUSMA created a stable, integrated North American agricultural market. They noted that between 2005 and 2023 trade value for agriculture and agri-food among the three countries roughly tripled, reaching about CA$ 400 billion.
With global competition intensifying and challenges to the international trade system, the letter says Canada must defend a rules-based trading environment.
The organizations emphasized that CUSMA’s science-based regulatory cooperation ensures timely access to agricultural innovations. They argued that such regulatory clarity sustains investment, innovation and growth across the sector.
Context: 2026 Review Underway
The push comes as Canada recently launched public consultations on CUSMA’s operation. The government aims to gather feedback ahead of the first joint review, scheduled for 2026.
Meanwhile, similar calls for renewal are rising south of the border: U.S. agriculture groups also publicly urged Washington to support a full renewal without major changes.
What’s at Stake for Farmers and Communities
For many Canadian farmers, ranchers and exporters, CUSMA provides predictable access to key markets. The agreement underpins long-term contracts, cross-border supply chains and stable export flows.
If the deal lapses or changes significantly, these sectors risk market disruption, higher costs, and lost competitiveness.
The letter reflects a collective concern about what could happen if trade relations become uncertain again. As the signatories put it: now is the time for Canada to stand firm.
