CCA’s fall priorities: Protecting markets and supporting producers

In April, CCA launched an aggressive campaign to raise awareness about trade negotiations between Canada and Mercosur that could see a massive increase in imports of Mercosur beef.

Mercosur is the Southern Common Market (called MERCOSUR for its Spanish initials). It is a South American economic and political trade bloc established in 1991 and comprises Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Increased imports would incentivize beef production on the other side of the world, disincentivize cattle production and herd rebuilding in Canada, and would have no impact on the price of beef in Canada. At a time when the federal government is investing in food security, increased trade with Mercosur that would allow increased beef imports does not make sense.

Thank you to everyone who visited cattle.ca/mercosur and supported our position. At the time of submitting this article, negotiations are ongoing, and the campaign continues.

In early June, the Traceability Task Force was announced; scan the QR code for details if you missed it. It is important to reiterate that CCA genuinely recognizes the importance of traceability for the industry. We need to have readily analyzable data that allows a rapid and effective disease investigation. Our ability to contain and eliminate disease, and prove our return to a disease-free status, is what will re-open negotiations with trading partners in the event of an outbreak. We understand that an effective system is both simple to understand and easy to participate in.

Also in June, CCA and ABP jointly announced that we have reached an Interim Participation Agreement (scan the QR code for details). The agreement follows CCA’s agreement-in-principle to bylaw reforms recommended by the Provincial Working Group, which includes representatives from each of CCA’s provincial member organizations. The bylaw reforms will be presented again for approval at CCA’s Semi-Annual Meeting in August. By the time you receive this magazine, more information will be available on the bylaw reforms and next steps.

CCA staff Mitchell Zoratti and Environment Committee Chair Karla Hicks, along with ABP General Manager Brad Dubeau, hosted Canada’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change Julie Dabrusin and members of her team on a ranch tour in Alberta in July. It was encouraging to see the Minister and her team take genuine interest in learning more about ranching, conservation, and sustainability on the ground, as well as a willingness to explore opportunities for collaboration with Canada’s beef industry.

We appreciate CCA’s The Environmental Stewardship Award (TESA) 2023 national recipients, Doug, Linda, and Tim Wray, for hosting the group at Wray Ranch. The tour provided a firsthand look at stewardship in action. The group walked through fields of cover crops, legume-enhanced pastures, and a restored wetland supported through conservation partnerships.

The day also sparked important conversations about the role working agricultural landscapes can play in delivering climate, biodiversity, water, soil, and conservation outcomes—and how governments can better support producers in delivering these benefits while remaining sustainable, resilient, and economically viable.

The Federal, Provincial, and Territorial Agriculture Ministers (FPT) met in July and released the Halifax Statement, bringing new and renewed interest to AgriStability and Livestock Price Insurance. Ministers aim to reach a decision on AgriStability changes for the 2027 program year. While the discussion arising from the meeting was largely positive, we believe that more needs to be done. My column in the September issue of Canadian Cattlemen Magazine takes a closer look at what was discussed and where improvements are still needed.

As we head into fall, feedback from the Beef Cattle Code of Practice Public Comment Period is being reviewed and assessed. Thank you to everyone who took time to participate and share input. This document, which describes how beef cattle are cared for and handled, is an important resource for producers, policymakers, the public, the value chain, and animal welfare and enforcement agencies looking to gauge industry standards for beef cattle production in Canada. The Code Committee is reviewing all feedback received, and we anticipate the new Code will be released in early 2027. If you did not participate in the comment period, the next Code review will begin five years after the new draft Code is released, likely in 2032.

Other issues we are working on this fall include possible tariffs, potential trade agreements, discussions about the renewal of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), and global policy decisions. We encourage you to attend a producer meeting in your area and watch for updates from ABP and CCA.

This was first published in Volume 6 Issue 3 of ABP Magazine (September 2026). Watch for more digital content from the magazine on ABP Daily