Canada blocks pork imports from Smithfield Foods

WASHINGTON — According to the US Department of Agriculture’s  (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), pork products from the Smithfield Food Inc. plant in Tar Heel, NC, are not eligible for export to Canada as of March 6.

“The issue pertains to a limited number of certain offal shipments,” said Ray Atkinson, senior director of external communications for Smithfield Foods to MEAT+POULTRY, a sister publication to Supermarket Perimeter. “We are working with USDA FSIS to expedite the resolution of this matter.”

The company provided no other details.

The notice came after President Trump announced certain Canadian and Mexican agricultural items would not receive a 25% tariff until April 2.

Pork and beef products are set to be exempt from the tariffs for the month, but poultry was not exempt, according to the list on the Canadian government’s website.