North American Agriculture Needs Unity, Not More Uncertainty

Florian Possberg, a partner with Polar Pork Farms near Humboldt, Sask., recently made a point that extends far beyond pork barns and feed bills. He warned that global conflict, fertilizer disruptions and trade uncertainty can move quickly from world headlines to the farm gate.
That is the world farmers now live in. A dispute in the Middle East can affect fertilizer. A war in Eastern Europe can affect grain. A tariff threat can affect a hog contract, a canola bid, a machinery order or a processor’s decision. Farmers may work on the land, but they no longer operate in a local-only economy.
That is why the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement matters so much. In Canada, we call it CUSMA. In the United States, it is USMCA. In Mexico, it is T-MEC. Three names, three countries, one deeply connected North American trading system.
The agreement’s first mandatory joint review is expected on July 1, 2026, six years after it came into force. That review gives all three countries a chance to assess how the agreement works and whether changes make sense. It also creates uncertainty when governments turn the review into a political weapon rather than a practical discussion.
For agriculture, uncertainty is not just a boardroom word. It affects real decisions. Should a farmer buy land? Should a processor expand? Should a livestock producer build more barn space? Should a manufacturer invest in another line? Should a supplier bring in more equipment or hold back?
Those decisions require confidence.
Canadian farmers need access to U.S. and Mexican markets. U.S. farmers need buyers in Canada and Mexico. Mexican agriculture depends on integrated trade with both neighbours. The three countries compete, yes, but they also feed, supply, and strengthen each other.
The Government of Canada says CUSMA created one of the largest free trade regions in the world and reinforces Canada’s strong economic ties with the United States and Mexico. That sounds like government language, but behind it stand farmers, truckers, elevator staff, meat plant workers, equipment dealers, feed companies, veterinarians, processors and families.
Possberg’s warning on fertilizer and food costs fits directly into this larger picture. If fertilizer availability drops, grain production can drop. If grain production drops, feed costs rise. If feed costs rise, livestock producers feel it quickly. If trade barriers arise simultaneously, the pressure multiplies.
That is why governments need to show unity, or at least show they can work together. No country should be expected to ignore its own interests. Canada must look after Canada. The United States must look after the United States. Mexico must look after Mexico.
But looking after ourselves should not mean disrespecting each other.
Agriculture works best when countries understand their shared dependence. Growers need suppliers. Livestock producers need feed. Processors need a steady supply. Manufacturers need customers. Consumers need food they can afford.
The upcoming CUSMA, USMCA and T-MEC review should not become another source of fear. It should become a chance to reaffirm that North American agriculture works better when the three countries keep trade open, practical and respectful.
Farmers already face enough risk from weather, disease, input costs, interest rates and world conflict. They do not need governments adding avoidable uncertainty.
From me, folks, it is time to work together and for each other.
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