RALEIGH, N.C. (RFD News) — With the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) set to enter its scheduled review, pork and soybean groups are urging leaders to renew the trade pact.
Roy Lee Lindsey with the North Carolina Pork Council says the agreement has been vital to the pork industry.
“As we look to USMCA, we think it’s critical that we get a renewal, if you will. You know, we keep USMCA and the opportunities it’s provided for us in those markets; it’s really kind of helped us. We’re almost evolving into almost a North America market for pork, if you will. And NAFTA and then USMCA really have helped facilitate that growth.”
Lindsey says Mexico has been a strong trade partner for U.S. pork producers and says the agreement has benefited all three countries.
“When your number one export market is your neighbor, it’s a whole lot cheaper to sell product and send it to Mexico than it is to ship it overseas, put it on a ship, move it somewhere, when we move it by truck or by train or whatever. I think that’s our hope when we think about where those are.”
Jamie Beyer with the American Soybean Association says soybean growers are also calling for a renewal.
“ASA strongly supports a full 16-year renewal of USMCA without delay, as soybean farmers continue to face a challenging economic landscape. Failure to renew USMCA would be catastrophic. Maintaining free, open, rules-based, and fair trade with North America is critical for the continued success of U.S. agriculture.”
Beyer went on to call the USMCA the “gold standard” trade agreement.
President Trump says he is in talks with Canada and Mexico and says the outcome remains to be seen.
