While Canadian Produce Marketing Association President Ron Lemaire calls the exclusion of Canadian fruits and vegetables in President Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs “a positive sign,” the current trade war remains a cause for concern.
“Already today, the day after [Trump’s tariffs announcement], we’ve seen the impact from the stock market and the global markets of what tariffs truly do — and that is hurt the global trading model, hurt business and, in the end, hurt the consumer,” Lemaire told The Packer on April 3. “And the markets are already demonstrating a sign toward a movement into a recession.
“And if a recession is on the horizon, that hurts everyone, especially when you look at produce purchases, and you look at staples and core commodities being hoarded … and premium and value-added products suffering,” he continued. “It’s not a good scenario right now.”
On March 4, the Canadian government announced retaliatory tariffs of 25% on products imported from the U.S., and while they are largely automotive-focused, they do include tariffs on a handful of U.S. produce items such as cherry tomatoes, citrus, stone fruit, nuts and snap beans.
Lemaire said CPMA sent a letter April 3 to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney asking for those tariffs to be removed.
“We definitely are against tariffs,” said Lemaire, adding that it doesn’t make sense to leverage tariffs on produce in an attempt to negotiate tariffs in another sector like automotive or aluminum.
“We want to take food out of the equation,” he said. “We want the Canadian government to look at removal of the tariffs on produce, on American produce items, and level the playing field so that we can compete and operate in a non-tariff environment — as we have historically — and let it be a global market for competition.”
With tariff negotiations ongoing, the produce industry prepares to convene in Montreal for the annual CPMA Convention and Trade Show, April 8-10.
What will talks be on the trade show floor and networking sessions?
“The discussion is presence,” said Lemaire, noting record attendance at this year’s CPMA show and a need for the North American produce industry to connect in these uncertain times.
“We’re still in a very unpredictable environment … and that unpredictability is hurting business,” he said. “We still have a consumer-driven model in Canada — buy anything but American — and that influences the produce purchase and influences the [retail] buyers in Canada on their decision on what they are carrying and the volume and whether products are on ads and so on.
“The key here is the long game, being present, maintaining the relationship,” he continued.
Lemaire says the U.S. Consulate in Montreal plans to host a reception April 9 aimed at rebuilding the U.S. brand and beginning the work on ensuring short-term Canadian consumer sentiment isn’t a long-term loss for the market.
“There’s definitely a surge on Canadian product,” he said. “[But] the Canadian sentiment is due to the U.S. administration. It’s not about the U.S. producer — it’s not about the U.S. grower-packer-shippers. It is a response to President Trump, and it goes across … all products coming out of the U.S., not just produce items.”
Given the current climate, Lemaire says participation in this year’s CPMA show is key.
“This is where it’s important to keep being present as a U.S. company — keep the relationships with your Canadian buyers,” he said. “Everybody is coming to the show. We have record numbers. The industry is rallying.
“This is a government-to-government problem,” he added. “This shouldn’t be an industry — a business-to-business problem, and so business-to-business has to continue developing relationships, making sure we grow and innovate and strategically.”
Lemaire says he’ll be talking transformation at the 2025 CPMA show. “Transformation that will come in many different forms,” he said.
