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In early 2017, United States President Donald Trump set in motion the renegotiation of NAFTA. On October 1, 2018 a new trade deal – the United States Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA) was announced. The agreement was created behind closed doors. The draft text has been published on the US government website in English only.

While negotiations were underway, the NFU joined with peoples’ organizations from Canada, Mexico and the USA in tri-national meetings where the groups called for “a new model of integration, cooperation and exchange among nations that guarantees that any agreement be negotiated with the democratic participation of society, that it be transparent in all of its terms and conditions and that it promote the reconstruction of national, regional and local production chains , on the basis of international cooperation and the sovereignty of each country and with full respect for human, political, economic, social, cultural and environmental rights. In addition, it must guarantee decent work and living wages, irrespective of national origin or migratory status.”

The USMCA not only falls short of these criteria, it undermines and weakens the foundations of justice and equity in all three countries. It is particularly harmful to Canada’s supply management system for dairy, eggs and poultry and to our quality control institutions for grain.

Recent USMCA stories

Letters

NFU asks Canada not to join US-Mexico GM corn dispute panel

The National Farmers Union (NFU) urges Trade Minister Ng to respect Mexico’s decision to prohibit imports of GM corn for human consumption, as it has put these measures in place in order to uphold its food sovereignty, including the traditional Indigenous farming systems known as milpa. We urge you to refrain from having Canada join the Panel as a Third Party in the US dispute with Mexico in order to avoid escalating our role in this dispute out of respect for Indigenous rights, Canada being signatory to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and to support Canada’s biodiversity protection commitments as a signatory of the UN Convention on Biodiversity.
National Story »
Letters

Letter – NFU urges Canada to stay out of US-Mexico corn dispute

The National Farmers Union (NFU) urges Trade Minister Ng to not bring Canada into the USA's dispute over GM corn import prohibition, and to respect Mexico’s decision to prohibit imports of GM corn for human consumption. Mexico has put these measures in place in order to uphold its food sovereignty, including the traditional Indigenous farming systems known as milpa.
National Story »
Letters

Trinational Letter

Trinational communiqué of peasant organizations, farmers, environmentalists, unions, churches, social activists, academics and journalists from our three countries The transnational corporations and business organizations that benefit from GM corn and
National Story »
Media Release

Strengthening the Canada Grain Act and the CGC is critical to farmers’ future

"Changes in the grain handling system since the last major review of the Act have resulted in gaps where CGC lacks the authority to fully safeguard farmers’ interests. The need for a strong regulator has not gone away,” said NFU 2nd VP Stewart Wells. The Act is the solid foundation of our grain economy, our farmers’ livelihoods and our domestic and international customers’ confidence. The NFU is pleased to offer recommendations for making the CGA and the CGC even stronger
National Story »
Letters

NFU Letter to CITT re Injury to Canadian Soybean Producers

Trade data suggests that the US MFP program allowed traders to purchase imported subsidized US soy at lower prices, causing prices to Canadian producers to go down and denying our farmers the opportunity to benefit from high Chinese demand. We believe the injury to Canadian farmers is clear, and that a proper investigation into the extent of harm is needed.
Region 3 Story »
Opinion

Will Canada’s grain farmers be collateral damage in the rush to pass Bill C-4?

Bill C-4 included a series of omnibus style amendments to the Canada Grain Act that affect the Canadian Grain Commission which were not negotiated in CUSMA and have nothing to do with implementing the trade deal.
National Story »

Trade

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