A deal to harmonize North America to international standards for trade in breeding cattle will end a ban by several U.S. state governments against Canadian breeding stock entering Mexico through their border ports.
The three North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners, Canada, the U.S. and Mexico, announced Thursday that they’ve agreed to harmonize trade between the three countries to World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) standards.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture said the new trade protocol is to take effect Friday.
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“This agreement is good news for farmers in all three countries who will now have access to world-class livestock from anywhere in North America,” Canadian Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz said in a release.
The deal ends a ban imposed March 4 by the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) on the movement of Canadian cattle through state facilities en route to Mexico. The ban was later supported by neighbouring New Mexico, Arizona and California, TDA noted in a release Thursday.
Texas had imposed the ban in protest of Mexico’s decision in late February to allow imports of certain Canadian breeding stock, while Mexico’s ban on U.S. breeding cattle, dating back to 2003, continued.
Mexico had previously allowed only shipments of Canadian beef from cattle under 30 months of age.
“After communicating with my fellow state agriculture directors in Arizona, New Mexico and California about this monumental progress, we are joining together to lift our ban on Canadian cattle that are shipped through our states,” Texas Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples said Thursday.
The three countries’ agreement “restores a market worth more than US$80 million to Texas cattlemen,” Staples said, noting Texas’ status as the top U.S. producer of cattle and calves — an industry representing US$7.4 billion to the state’s economy.
Ritz’s announcement was made from Washington, where he had met with U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer. Topics of discussion also included upcoming U.S. Farm Bill legislation, the U.S. government’s plans to impose mandatory country-of-origin labelling on imported meat and other foods, and market access issues for potatoes, Ritz said in a release.
“Our government is committed to continue our productive and respectful dialogue with our American neighbours for the benefit of Canadians who depend on our agriculture and agri-food industries,” Ritz said.
