CPMA addresses Canada-U.S. trade dispute

August 31, 2026 — The Canadian Produce Marketing Association BB #:153602 is closely monitoring trade and tariff developments between Canada and the United States.

The North American fresh produce industry is deeply interconnected and provides economic, health and food security benefits for all three countries. While fresh produce commodities are not included among the most recent set of U.S. tariffs or the announced Canadian retaliatory tariffs due to come into force on September 8th, the inherent uncertainty of tariff policies hinders long-term planning and investment across the sector.

In addition, we have heard concerns from some members regarding potential increases in the cost of packaging materials due to the US tariffs and the announced Canadian retaliatory tariffs.

The Government of Canada has indicated its intention to provide tariff relief for food packaging through the U.S. Surtax Remission process; more information is available on the CPMA website.

CPMA continues to advocate for a robust North American free trade agreement that safeguards the significant gains made for our industry under NAFTA and CUSMA and maintains rules-based, tariff-free trade for all fresh produce commodities.

Recognizing that this is a swiftly evolving situation, we will support our members with information and resources of particular relevance to the fresh produce sector but will not share information readily available through mainstream media. You can find the latest information and resources on our Canada-U.S. Trade page of the CPMA website.

Please reach out to Shannon Sommerauer, Senior Director, Government Relations and Industry Technology, at ssommerauer@cpma.ca to share any concerns about the potential impact to your business.