Canadian, Mexican agri-food sectors must co-operate amid tensions with U.S. says ambassador

Canada and Mexico must build on a strong agricultural trade relationship to secure trade resilience in the face of U.S. tariffs, says Carlos Joaquin González, Mexico’s ambassador to Canada.

“Mexico and Canada share a strong agricultural trade relationship built on complementarity and mutual benefit,” González said. “We are not just trading partners. We are strategical allies.”

González spoke at the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) annual general meeting about how the two agri-food economies can support one another while facing a mutual threat.

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Mexico, like Canada, has been threatened with 25 per cent tariffs by U.S. President Donald Trump. While both countries initially avoided the measure, the threat of the measures beginning in early March still looms across both borders.

While Mexico exports commodities like avocados, tomatoes and peppers to Canada, Canada sends wheat, beef and dairy, which González said makes it a critical part of Mexican food security.

The two countries have already collaborated on several agri-food efforts. González said the Mexican embassy organized a special session for agri-food research and development, in which 12 projects were presented.

He also praised the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program, which sees tens of thousands Mexican workers coming to Canada every year.

However, “our agricultural relationship does not exist in isolation. Mexico, Canada and the United States are part of one of the most integrated ag food supply chains in the world,” González said.

He urged cooperation between Mexico and Canada to secure a mutually beneficial outcome from the upcoming 2026 Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) review, which he called “one of the biggest topics on the horizon.”

There has been speculation that Trump’s tariffs are a way of gaining leverage ahead of the review.

“Mexico and Canada must work together to ensure fair, open and transparent trade conditions in North America,” he said.

Other areas where González said Mexico and Canada could expand collaboration include through technology transfer, Canadian expertise in precision farming, biotechnology and sustainable practice showcases.

He also mentioned a plan by the Mexican government to create regional agri-business hubs focused on improving exports and cold storage, which he said “represents an opportunity for Canadian businesses to participate in Mexico’s agri food value chain.”