Revenge is a dish best served cold — and bacon makes it better.
In a delicious twist of irony, the U.S. pork industry is now pleading with Canada to spare it from the very trade war US president Donald Trump has ignited.
Now, the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) has formally urged the Canadian government to exclude American pork from any retaliatory tariffs after Trump announced sweeping new duties on Canadian imports.
The move, which Trump has justified as a way to curb illegal immigration and fentanyl trafficking, has instead placed American agriculture — one of his key voter bases — squarely in the crosshairs of potential Canadian countermeasures.
The NPPC’s letter to Canada’s Department of Finance makes its case with all the urgency of a pig squealing at a slaughterhouse door:
“The tit-for-tat tariff exchanges will disrupt supply chains that have been built up over decades. We request that Canada seeks to preserve the benefits of the integrated North American market to the maximum extent practicable, including by excluding U.S. pork imports from retaliation.”
The plea comes as Canada weighs its response to Trump’s latest round of tariffs, which are set to take effect on April 2. Ottawa has signalled that it will consult with the public and stakeholders before finalizing its own counter-tariffs.
The irony is hard to miss. Trump has long railed against what he calls an $80-billion trade deficit with Canada — though that number has fluctuated wildly depending on the rally or interview. Yet, in reality, US pork producers are deeply dependent on Canada.
Last year, the U.S. exported more than $850 million in pork to Canada, while Canada sent $1.7 billion worth of pork south. In addition, Canada exported $560 million worth of live swine to the US, where they were raised, slaughtered, and — yes — often exported right back to Canada.
The American pork industry is now warning that disrupting this deeply integrated system could be disastrous for both countries. But their appeal puts them in an awkward position: Can they convince Canada to play nice when their own piggish president refuses to do the same?
The pork industry isn’t alone in its concerns. Farmers across the US have been hit hard by past trade disputes, particularly with China, and Trump’s new tariffs threaten to throw yet another wrench into agricultural exports.
For now, Canada has held off announcing new tariffs, but many expect agriculture to be on the list when the federal government unveils its countermeasures in early April. And while NPPC is hoping for a free pass, there’s little indication that Canadian officials are eager to extend that courtesy.
“We understand Canada’s desire to see the tariffs eliminated quickly,” NPPC wrote. “But disrupting successful integration will just make it harder to maintain the integrated supply chains going forward.”
Whether Canada agrees remains to be seen. But for now, it seems US pork producers are learning the hard way that when it comes to trade wars, there are no winners—only industries left scrambling for exemptions.
According to Statistics Canada, roughly 80% of Canada’s swine inventory is in Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec.