Good afternoon.
Thank you for your invitation.
I'm representing the Canadian Meat Council, where I'm the vice‑chair. I'm also a vice‑president at Olymel.
As you know, the Meat Council represents many meat processing establishments, which all hold federal licenses that allow them to export.
As one of the largest companies in the food-processing sector, we have annual sales of more than $32 billion and support nearly 300,000 jobs nationwide.
Our members process over 90% of Canada's beef and pork. We represent members involved in exports.
American tariffs are having a significant impact on the Canadian red meat industry. The United States receives approximately 50% of our exports. The North American meat industry is one of the most globally integrated industries. It accounts for nearly $16 billion in sales and trade with other countries.
China remains a significant, unique and strategic market. In the past five years, this country accounted for 20% of Canadian pork exports. The volume of exports and access to the Chinese market have been unstable.
Canadian beef has been largely shut out since 2019. Before the ban, China was Canada's fifth‑largest beef market, worth nearly $100 million annually.
For pork, the 25% tariff continues to erode Canadian competitiveness, reducing processor margins by an average of $8.80 per hog. This amounts to nearly $177 million in annual losses for our sector. In addition, we bear these direct costs because of trade disputes related to support for other industries.
For Olymel alone, tariffs are projected to reduce profits by $17 million in the 2025 fiscal year. If current conditions persist, the impact could grow to $30 million for the 12 months of 2026.
These tariffs come at a time when the fresh pork sector is already facing significant challenges. As a result, we risk delaying planned investments. Ultimately, we may be forced to make difficult decisions to limit our losses. The amounts resulting from the imposition of tariffs are drawn directly and solely from the pockets of processors.
As you can see—