North American cattle industry leaders meet to discuss common challenges facing producers across Canada, United States and Mexico

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan – The Canadian Cattle Association (CCA) hosted the 3rd 2024 triannual trilateral meeting with its North American counterparts, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and Confederación Nacional de Organizaciones Ganaderas (CNOG) on the sidelines of the Canadian Beef Industry Conference this week. The trilateral meeting gives an opportunity for leadership to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing beef producers across Canada, United States and Mexico. Topics at this year’s trilateral focused on trade policy, the upcoming review of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA/USMCA/T-MEC) in 2026 and international engagement on antimicrobial resistance. 

“The beef industry is highly integrated across North America and with the upcoming review of CUSMA in 2026, it is crucial for us to have these trilateral meetings with our friends to the south. With the challenges that our sector is facing globally, we are stronger working together, to push back against non-tariff barriers and other unscientific international policies that impact beef producers. – CCA President Nathan Phinney

“NCBA greatly values our relationships with our Canadian and Mexican counterparts and our ability to come together as allies to tackle issues facing cattle producers across North America. In addition to discussing international trade and animal health concerns, I am also encouraged that CCA, CNOG, and NCBA continue standing together to push back against lab-grown proteins. These lab-grown protein companies are trying to capitalize from the incredible reputation of real beef in their efforts to sell ultra-processed products created in bioreactors. Together, we are working to ensure lab-grown proteins are properly regulated and transparently labeled to avoid consumer confusion with our products that are made with only one ingredient, beef.” – NCBA President Mark Eisele  

“The North American trading relationship is key for our country. Mexico is growing in exports in the agricultural sector and specifically beef and cattle is competing with products like beer, tequila, and avocados.” – CNOG President Homero García de la Llata

Through CUSMA, beef producers across all three countries benefit from the market-based demand for our product. As we approach the 2026 review, the combined leadership of CCA, NCBA and CNOG are emphasizing the success that it continues to bring to our industry.  

At the same time, we’re looking at opportunities to work together against global challenges including non-tariff barriers we are facing in other jurisdictions and international commitments that impact the cattle sector. Despite recognizing antimicrobial resistance as an urgent global one-health threat, the North American beef sector is aligned and pushing back against unfounded antimicrobial reduction targets without considering sector specific needs. Responsible antimicrobial stewardship is essential to supporting the health and welfare of cattle, which includes increased access to veterinary products.  

Front of mind today, is the impending rail strike in Canada. Leadership discussed their concerns of how the labour action will have unintended negative trade consequences across North America and agreed that this work stoppage needs to end quickly.

CCA, NCBA and CNOG leadership determined a unified approach to address international challenges facing the countries’ producers and will continue to work on these files together, in lead up to the next trilateral meeting in San Antonio, Texas in 2025.  

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