Canada suspends imports from largest US pork processing plant

Canada has blocked imports from the largest U.S. pork processing facility operated by Smithfield Foods, the company said on Friday.

The suspension comes amid ongoing trade tensions between Washington and Ottawa, as U.S. tariffs continue to spark concerns over retaliatory measures affecting American agricultural exports.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the suspension is based on standard protocols rather than recent trade actions. Under Canada’s policy, three instances of noncompliance within six months trigger a temporary halt on imports. In this case, the issue reportedly concerns a limited number of offal shipments from the plant.

The USDA stated that it is working with Smithfield Foods to address the issues and develop a corrective action plan that will be presented to Canadian authorities. Once the plan is reviewed and accepted, the plant’s export eligibility may be reinstated. Meanwhile, Smithfield noted that its shares remained nearly flat on Friday.

The move restricts a key market for U.S. pork products. Last year, Canada ranked as the fifth-largest export market for U.S. pork, with shipments valued at approximately $850 million. U.S. pork also plays a significant role in Canadian retail and foodservice sectors, according to industry representatives.

In a related development, U.S. President Donald Trump exempted goods from Canada and Mexico under a North American trade pact for a month from the 25% tariffs imposed earlier this week, signaling the volatile nature of the current trade environment.

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