After it was announced Democrats and the White House had reached an agreement for the USMCA, many ag groups released statements of support.
National Cattlemen’s Beef Association President Jennifer Houston
“There is no higher policy priority for America’s beef producers than maintaining our duty-free access to Canada and Mexico, and that’s exactly what the USMCA will do. The Trump Administration and Speaker Pelosi deserve credit for working together to get this deal done, and now is the time for Congress to approve USMCA so our producers can move forward with the certainty they need and deserve.”
National Pork Producers’ Council President David Herring
“Mexico’s approval of USMCA changes proposed by the United States is welcome news for U.S. pork producers and all of American agriculture.....Members of Congress can count on hearing, yet again, from pork producers as NPPC is unleashing a grassroots call to action. We want a vote this year and NPPC will score this critically important trade agreement as a key vote.”
United States Wheat Associates President David Goyings
“U.S. wheat growers need to continue trading freely and fairly with Mexico, our largest international customer, and this agreement will finally end that uncertainty. In addition, if U.S. farmers want to deliver wheat across the border to a Canadian elevator, and that wheat is on Canada’s varietal registration list, under USMCA it will not be downgraded. We hope that this agreement will be approved and implemented quickly so we can move on to negotiating more high-quality trade agreements like USMCA that benefit our economy and our trading partners.”
National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson
“The free trade framework established by NAFTA has dominated our international trade deals over the past two-and-a-half decades, to the detriment of American workers – it has contributed to the movement of rural manufacturing jobs overseas, caused our national deficit to balloon, lowered wages, and eroded national sovereignty. Though we are encouraged by efforts to reform this framework, earlier drafts of USMCA did not go far enough to protect family farmers and rural communities. We are hopeful that this version incorporates the board’s recommendations; as soon as more details are available, I will call a special meeting of the NFU Board of Directors to decide whether we will support or oppose the final deal.”
National Corn Growers Association President Kevin Ross
“NCGA’s top legislative priority in 2019 has been passing USMCA. Today’s announcement brings us one step closer to ratifying this important agreement and securing the future of our trading relationship with Mexico and Canada, the top export market for U.S. corn farmers. It’s been a brutal year for many farmers who really need the certainty this would provide for agricultural trade. NCGA appreciates the bipartisan efforts between Speaker Pelosi, Ambassador Lighthizer and the House working group to reach an agreement. I urge lawmakers to pass USMCA and help us close out 2019 with a win for America’s farmers and the U.S. economy.”
American Soybean Association President Davie Stephens
“We are very happy to hear a bipartisan compromise has been achieved, and we now encourage our Congressional leaders to swiftly ratify this agreement by bringing it to vote. This deal is a positive for U.S. soybean farmers.”