Product of USA label, screwworm, and global trade demands up for discussion at tri-national meeting

"Trade policy, affordability, and border access issues affecting the sector were top of mind for delegates from Canada, the United States, and Mexico, as is the upcoming USMCA review due for mid-summer. Jennifer Babcock of the Canadian Cattle Association sat down with RealAgriculture's Shaun Haney to recap the main issues raised at the trilateral meetings. Babcock, who leads government and international affairs work for the CCA, said those meetings addressed how trade, regulation, and market access intersect in a sector where cattle and beef routinely cross borders. She said the USMCA review remains a focal point for industry groups working to maintain established trade flows."

"Babcock said the tone of the trilateral meeting earlier in the week focused on areas of alignment among Canada, the United States, and Mexico, rather than points of disagreement. "All of us coming together, talking about the alignment across the North American sector, which is... different than what you hear sometimes in the media," she said. That alignment, she said, is influenced in part by shared concerns around affordability and the effect policy decisions can have on food prices."

"Affordability continues to factor into broader agricultural policy discussions, including those related to cattle and beef, and shapes how governments approach trade negotiations and regulatory frameworks. According to Babcock, coordination among the three countries plays a role in limiting cost pressures that could affect consumers and producers alike."

North American beef leaders met in Nashville to coordinate the operation of an integrated beef supply chain across Canada, the United States, and Mexico. Delegates prioritized trade policy, affordability, and border access, with the USMCA review scheduled for mid-summer shaping industry focus. Coordination aims to preserve established trade flows and limit cost pressures affecting consumers and producers. Alignment across the three countries influences regulatory and market access decisions where cattle and beef routinely cross borders. Animal health and market stability factored into planning, and industry expressed cautious optimism about reopening the Mexico–U.S. cattle border with careful, evidence-based decision-making.

Read at Realagriculture