As Americans gather around their dinner tables this Thanksgiving and enjoy meaningful meals with warm favorites like buttered rolls, pumpkin pie, and of course turkey, it’s important to remember the hardworking American farmers and ranchers who produce our bountiful harvests – many of whom are counting on Congress to pass the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) to ensure their health and growth for the future.
One of the most important changes USMCA makes to the North American Free Trade Agreement is it creates new market access opportunities for our farmers and ranchers – in particular, by eliminating some of the remaining Canadian tariffs and other trade barriers facing U.S. agricultural exports. This will directly benefit American farmers, especially since Canada was our largest agricultural export market last year, purchasing $24 billionworth of U.S. agricultural products. With the new agreement, U.S. farmers will be able to export even more dairy, poultry, and eggs, among other goods, to Canada. (Tariffs on agricultural trade between the U.S. and Mexico were eliminated 10 years ago).
Of course, improving Canadians’ access to some choice American farm produce isn’t the only benefit of USMCA – but it’s an important one. In turn, American farmers will be able to spend these growing revenues on their families and reinvesting in their farms.
This Thanksgiving join the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in supporting American farmers, ranchers, and workers by telling Congress to pass USMCA this year. In the meantime, we are spreading holiday cheer to Canada by highlighting all of the Thanksgiving favorites we will be able to export to Canadians under USMCA:
Turkey
Canada has agreed to provide the U.S. and other country members of the World Trade Organization access equivalent to no less than 3.5% of the previous year’s total Canadian turkey production. This will allow the U.S. to export up to an additional 1,000 metric tons of turkey products each year for the next 10 years than the current access, and potentially more thereafter.
Cheese
The U.S. will be able to export 12,500 metric tons of cheese to Canada by year six of the agreement, growing 1% for an additional 13 years. Deviled eggs U.S. egg exports to Canada are currently 1.67 million and will increase to 10 million dozen eggs and egg-equivalent products in year six of the agreement, growing 1% for an additional 10 years. Canada has agreed to allow 30% of import licenses forshell egg imports to be granted to new entrants as well. As with chicken, the U.S. will still be eligible to export up to 21.37 million dozen egg and egg-equivalent products under Canada’s WTO tariff rate quota regime.
Buttered rolls
The U.S. will be able to export 4,500 metric tons of butter and cream powder by year six of the agreement, growing 1% for an additional 13 years. Eighty-five percent of the volume in year one will be reserved for further processing, which will be reduced to 50% by year five.
Pie à la mode
The U.S. will be able to export 690 metric tons of ice cream and ice cream mixes by year six of the agreement, growing 1% for an additional 13 years.
At the U.S. Chamber, we’re proud to fight for all businesses, including the American farmers, ranchers, and workers who put food on the table all across the country... we thank you and wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving!
To learn more about the impact of USMCA, visit here.
About the authors
Kaitlyn Ridel
Kaitlyn Ridel is the former Senior Director of Digital Content at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
