It's not just reciprocal duty-free trade that is important, but also the progress on regulatory alignment, co-operation, and avoidance of factors disruptive to trade. We were quite relieved that the negotiators thwarted efforts to bring back mandatory country-of-origin labelling, which cost the Canadian beef industry billions of dollars between 2008 and 2015. Additionally, the new agreement includes a section that highlights the commitment to not disrupt trade through labelling. We were pleased to see the shared priority emphasized in CUSMA. We were gratified to see the creation of a new sanitary and phytosanitary committee within the agreement, as well as a preservation of the dispute resolution provisions.
I'd also like to add that the economic outcomes are not the only highlight of growing Canadian beef export demand. There are also many environmental benefits that go along with a vibrant Canadian beef sector. Per kilo of production, Canadian beef has less than half the average global carbon footprint. Here, in the Canadian context, we know that a strong, viable beef industry is absolutely tied to the conservation of Canada's native grasslands, which are an at-risk ecosystem and a stable store of 1.5 billion tonnes of carbon.
In closing, we encourage the swift ratification of Bill C-4. Growth is on the horizon for export-focused Canadian agriculture, and a strong, stable north American market is absolutely fundamental to our ability to optimize that growth.