Canadian Farm Groups Head to Washington to Deliver a Unified Pro-Trade Message

The Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance (CAFTA) conducted its annual Washington DC fly-in on June 3–4, 2026, with Pulse Canada's Greg Northey — VP of Corporate Affairs and President of CAFTA — leading the mission alongside delegates from the Canadian Cattle Association, Canola Council of Canada, Grain Growers of Canada, Canadian Pork Council, Cereals Canada, and other member organizations.

Over two days, the delegation completed more than 25 engagements across Capitol Hill and the executive branch, meeting with members and senior staff from the House and Senate Agriculture committees, the Ways and Means and Senate Finance committees, USDA's Foreign Agriculture Service, and the Office of the United States Trade Representative.

The trip came just weeks before the July 1, 2026, Joint Review of CUSMA — a milestone that has attracted considerable attention across North American trade circles. The delegation's messaging was consistent throughout: protecting CUSMA is good for farmers and families on both sides of the border, and the integrated agri-food relationship between the two countries represents economic value that neither side can afford to put at risk.

"This mission came at a critical time," said Northey. "There is real, bipartisan understanding on Capitol Hill of how deeply integrated our two agricultural economies are — and we continue to build strong political will to protect that relationship through CUSMA renewal."

This mission came at a critical time. There is real, bipartisan understanding on Capitol Hill of how deeply integrated our two agricultural economies are — and we continue to build strong political will to protect that relationship through CUSMA renewal.

- Greg Northey

A Unified Message at a Critical Moment

One of the strongest signals the delegation brought to Washington was a letter co-signed by close to 160 farm organizations from Canada, the U.S., and Mexico, submitted directly to trade ministers in all three countries. The breadth of support spoke for itself — this is a shared North American industry position, not just a Canadian one.The letter was well received across congressional and executive offices as evidence that industry stakeholders across the continent are aligned. The delegation also met with the U.S. Agricultural Coalition for CUSMA, further reinforcing the breadth of U.S. stakeholder support for renewal.
Source: CAFTA - ACCA (X)

The Numbers Make the Case

The statistics anchoring the delegation's message were striking:

Canada purchases more U.S. agricultural goods than Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan combined.
Canadians buy roughly $722 worth of U.S. agricultural products per person each year.
A 2026 Purdue University study found that CUSMA tariff reductions save American households an estimated $700 annually on food — approximately seven percent of household food expenditure."

We made sure U.S. decision-makers understood that this isn't just a relationship that's good for Canada," Northey noted. "Every point we made was grounded in data that speaks directly to American farmers' bottom lines and American families' grocery bills."

Irritants Are Real — But Manageable

The delegation also had frank conversations about outstanding points of tension. The U.S. has publicly flagged certain non-tariff barriers, and Minister LeBlanc's team has been working directly with U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Greer to address more than a dozen specific items. The consistent signal from congressional contacts: these trade irritants can and should be resolved through bilateral side agreements and technical negotiations alongside the broader CUSMA review, without destabilizing the core agreement.

Looking Ahead

The July 1 review is understood to be the beginning of continued negotiations, not the end. Technical negotiations will continue through the summer, and CAFTA and its member organizations will stay at the table — tracking progress on bilateral issues, maintaining relationships with U.S. and Mexican counterparts, and making sure the agricultural perspective stays central to how both governments approach the months ahead. "We came to Washington to reinforce that Canadian agriculture is a constructive, prepared, and important partner," said Northey. "The conversations we had confirmed that message is landing — and we'll keep showing up to make sure it sticks."