Majority of Canadian Pork Exports Avoid New Tariff Hike Under CUSMA

While the recent increase in U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods has stirred concern, Canada’s pork exports remain largely unaffected due to protections under the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), according to Florian Possberg of Polar Pork Farms.

Last week, the Trump administration raised the general tariff on Canadian imports from 25% to 35%. However, this hike targets only non-CUSMA compliant goods—meaning roughly 90% of Canadian exports, including pork, are shielded.

Possberg notes that the reasoning behind the tariff—citing the fentanyl crisis—is part of broader political maneuvering. He acknowledges that producers have little control over such high-level decisions but emphasizes the importance of stable trade.