With the government temporarily back open until Feb. 15, Congress has a lot on its plate. Farm Bureau’s president is standing up for farmers and ranchers, urging Congress to pass the USMCA deal quickly. The USMCA deal has been signed by all three countries’ leaders but is still waiting approval from Congress.
American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall said, “Farmers need the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, and the sooner the better. U.S. agriculture needs strong trade agreements to access customers around the world and grow our farm economy. We are grateful for the Administration’s work to move this agreement forward. We urge Congress to finish the job and approve the USMCA quickly.
“USMCA’s predecessor, NAFTA, has boosted agricultural exports to Mexico and Canada dramatically — we’ve gone from $8.9 billion to $39 billion in the 25 years since NAFTA went into effect. That’s an obvious victory in boosting our industry’s strong trade surplus with the rest of the world.
“Steel and aluminum disputes with our North American neighbors and other trading partners will be a challenge for farmers and ranchers until those disagreements are resolved. We urge the Administration to resolve those outstanding issues as soon as possible. Farmers and ranchers need fair and open markets.”
At the 2019 American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Convention and IDEAg Trade Show, AFBF Senior Congressional Relations Director Dave Salmonsen says it’s important to be patient as trade agreements take time. With the trade agreement signed by all three countries, economic reports from the International Trade Commission are the next step.
Right after signing the USMCA deal, Trump reportedly said he would withdraw from NAFTA, forcing congress to pass the new trade deal, according to Politico. In order to make your voices heard, get involved. Speak to your representatives in Congress and express the urgency to pass this new trade deal.
