Canadian, Mexican and U.S. Pork Producers in Agreement on the Need to Maintain the Free Flow of Agricultural Products Across Borders

A partner with Polar Pork says, when it comes to tariffs and trade, Canadian, Mexican and American pork producers agree a free flow of agricultural products across borders is in everyone's best interests. Last week an 11-member three generation delegation representing Humboldt based Polar Pork travelled to Des Moines for World Pork Expo to connect with fellow Canadian producers, U.S. producers and customers.

Florian Possberg, a partner with Polar Pork, says in discussing trade everyone in the industry is of one mind wanting to see as much free trade as possible without interruptions, whether it's from tariffs or country of origin labeling or what ever else might impede relationships.

Quote-Florian Possberg-Polar Pork:

In North America, including the Mexicans, Canadians and Americans, we really do have an integrated market that functions best when there's a free flow of goods and competition.That kind of was the feeling that we get, our American counterparts were generally not in favor of the tariffs that were proposed.
We know that the U.S. Canadian trade agreement is going to be reviewed.

There is some concern from the Americans that they're not happy with restrictions for supply management, dairy and to a lesser extent poultry products trading across the border.We don't know how that's gong to affect hogs and cattle and grain at this point but our hope is that we don't get sideswiped with our free trade agreement, our reality that we enjoy now, by some other commodity that is used as a touch stone for new negotiations.

Possberg says producers on both sides of the border, the processors and everyone involved would just like to see the free flow and integration that we've seen in the past.