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Canada suspends some U.S. pork imports

A market analyst says Canada’s recent suspension of some U.S. pork imports could be a result of the back-and-forth happening as a new trade war begins.

“Maybe it’s the Canadian authorities putting a small thorn in our side.”

The USDA says Canada has suspended imports from the largest U.S. pork processing plant, run by Smithfield Foods in North Carolina.

Rich Nelson with Allendale says “the Tar Heel plant processes more than 30,000 head per day, by far the nation’s largest. For that discussion, it would be a symbolic nature to have some type of trade pushback, given all of this week’s highly emotional narrative changes.”

Nelson says he doesn’t believe this is a big indicator of a relationship change between the two countries.

Earlier this week, the United States issued tariffs on imports from Mexico, Canada and China and two of those countries retaliated. On Thursday, President Trump paused tariffs on imports of Mexican and Canadian goods that fall under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada agreement until April 2.

Smithfield Foods tells Brownfield the issue pertains to a limited number of certain variety meat shipments and the company is working with USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service to expedite the resolution of the matter.

Nelson says the livestock markets have been more volatile than the grain markets as the trade war begins, with prices ending higher on Friday. He says the U.S. exports 26% of its pork with Mexico and Canada being top markets.