NAFTA at 17: Full Implementation Leads to Increased Trade and Integration

The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is an integral part of the North American economy. Regional agricultural trade is now completely free of tariff and quota restrictions, with a few exceptions such as those related to Canadian supply management. During the course of NAFTA?s implementation, the agricultural sectors of the member countries have become far more integrated, as is evidenced by increased trade in a wider range of agricultural products, substantial levels of cross-border investment, and important changes in consumption and production. Efforts to seek deeper regional integration will necessarily focus on increasing the fluidity of cross-border economic activity within the existing framework of NAFTA?s free-trade area.