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BFO Participates in Tri-National Agricultural Accord
October 21, 2025
BFO Executive Director Richard Horne (left) and BFO Director Jim Whitley (right), along with our national and provincial counterparts, attended the Tri-National Agricultural Accord in Mexico to meet with senior state and provincial ag officials from Canada, Mexico and the U.S. to discuss our important trading relationship and rural issues.
Agricultural leaders from across North America gathered in Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico for the 34th Annual Tri-National Agricultural Accord. The event brought together government and industry representatives from Canada, the United States, and Mexico to strengthen cooperation on shared agri-food priorities ahead of the 2026 CUSMA/USMCA/T-MEC renegotiations.
The Canadian delegation was led by Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness Trevor Jones, who served as one of the Accord’s co-chairs. The beef sector was well represented, with delegates from the Canadian Cattle Association (CCA), National Cattle Feeders’ Association (NCFA), and Beef Farmers of Ontario (BFO) in attendance. Other Ontario-based commodity leaders included representatives from the Grain Farmers of Ontario, Ontario Pork, and the Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers.
The overarching goal of BFO and its partners was to defend and promote tariff-free, science-based trade across North America, while advancing discussions on regulatory cooperation. Other key issues for BFO at the accord included:
- Harmonization of Specified Risk Material (SRM) rules
- Addressing border inspection irritants for imports and exports
- Preventing discriminatory labelling practices
- Improving foreign animal disease coordination and cross-border emergency response
- Enhancing labour access and mobility across jurisdictions for both primary production and processing
Throughout the meetings, BFO engaged with numerous U.S. state departments of agriculture and was encouraged by the widespread support for the continuation of CUSMA/USMCA/T-MEC. Despite political headwinds surrounding trade and tariffs, delegates reaffirmed the value of free and open North American trade to all three countries.
A key highlight came from the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA), who discussed internal U.S. advocacy efforts focused on preserving and strengthening North American free trade. As reflected in the official accord communiqué signed by all three countries, states and provinces also expressed strong support for extending CUSMA/USMCA/T-MEC for an additional 16 years to help prevent disruption and protect agricultural production and jobs across North America.
For more details, please see the official communiqué from the Tri-National Agricultural Accord and the statement from the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA)
BFO extends its appreciation to Minister Trevor Jones for his leadership and strong advocacy on behalf of Ontario’s agri-food sector.
Left to Right: BFO Director, Jim Whitley; BFO Executive Director, Richard Horne; CCA President, Tyler Fulton; NCFA
Vice President, Policy and Government Relations, Cathy Jo Noble; CCA Chief Government and International Affairs Officer, Jennifer Babcock.