Farm Compliance

Chris Leggett, the Canadian Embassy’s first secretary (agriculture), said the numbers speak for themselves.

“Eighty percent of our trade in Canada is with the U.S. Between our two nations, trade in both directions is valued at about $535 billion per year,” Leggett said. “It is free trade through the North American Free Trade Agreement that has made Canada the U.S.’ number one trading partner.”

Emphasizing the importance of NAFTA, Leggett said, “Mexico and Canada, together, buy seven times more per year from the U.S. than does China, and the rate of growth to NAFTA partners has been more than double that of non-NAFTA partners.”

While the positives of the trading partnership far outweigh the negatives, Leggett cautioned that there is room for improvement.

“There is a thickening of the border between our two countries that has been caused by things that unnecessarily restrict trade and we’ll be focusing on the little details at the border that impede trade,” he said.

Pamela Simpson, counselor on economic and trade policy at the embassy, pointed to the U.S. country-of-origin labeling law a concern.

But Simpson, describing the U.S. and Canada as much more than trading partners, echoed Leggett’s assertions that there are far more benefits than drawbacks to the two countries’ relationship.

“It’s not just about trade, but also about the fact that, between our two countries, we are building things jointly,” she said. “Free trade has allowed us to leverage each other’s strengths and compete with the world. We rely on each other.”