In 2017, Canada, the United States, and Mexico agreed to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement and build upon the success of the nearly 25-year-old agreement. After more than a year of negotiation, the Canada-United States-Mexico (CUSMA) was signed on November 30, 2018, and came into effect on 1 July 2020.

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CUSMA has been positive for Canada’s food exports. The agreement allowed Canada to respond to the increased U.S. demand for foods used in home cooking during COVID. Last year, Canadian non-meat food exports reached 14.8 billion kilograms, growing, on average, 4.9% each year between 2020 and 2023. CUSMA, as NAFTA had before, has provided access for Canadian exports at a time of increasing demand, and has been particularly useful in exports of fats/oils. 

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