In the face of a review of North American trade by the Office of United States Trade representative, Florian Possberg, a partner with Polar Pork Farms, is emphasizing the importance of maintaining open, two-way agricultural trade.
The review began in September and is to take 45 days.
Possberg said a lot of Canadian hogs, cattle and grains move to the United States and two-way trade in agriculture has benefitted both counties and needs to be protected.
Noting that some nations pay tariffs as high as 15 percent to trade with the U.S., he said that that would make it nearly impossible for North American producers to stay competitive.
Maintaining open trade, he said, is vital for both sides of the border — ensuring the flow of livestock, feed, and finished products that underpin the shared success of the North American agricultural economy.
He also acknowledged one potential area of concern: the ongoing tension around dairy trade access, an issue highlighted by former President Trump. However, Possberg hopes this won’t lead to broader negative impacts on agricultural trade.
