WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue issued the following statement after United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi announced agreement on the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA):
“USMCA is a big win for American workers and the economy, especially for our farmers and ranchers. The agreement improves virtually every component of the old NAFTA, and the agriculture industry stands to gain significantly,” said Secretary Perdue. “President Trump and Ambassador Lighthizer are laying the foundation for a stronger farm economy through USMCA and I thank them for all their hard work and perseverance to get the agreement across the finish line. While I am very encouraged by today’s breakthrough, we must not lose sight – the House and Senate need to work diligently to pass USMCA by Christmas.”
Background:
USMCA will advance United States agricultural interests in two of the most important markets for American farmers, ranchers, and agribusinesses. This high-standard agreement builds upon our existing markets to expand United States food and agricultural exports and support food processing and rural jobs.
Canada and Mexico are our first and second largest export markets for United States food and agricultural products, totaling more than $39.7 billion food and agricultural exports in 2018. These exports support more than 325,000 American jobs.
All food and agricultural products that have zero tariffs under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) will remain at zero tariffs. Since the original NAFTA did not eliminate all tariffs on agricultural trade between the United States and Canada, the USMCA will create new market access opportunities for United States exports to Canada of dairy, poultry, and eggs, and in exchange the United States will provide new access to Canada for some dairy, peanut, and a limited amount of sugar and sugar-containing products.
Earlier this year, nearly 1,000 American food and agriculture associations and companies announced their support for USMCA and the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture signed a letter to Congressional leadership urging them to ratify USMCA.
In September, all former U.S. Secretaries of Agriculture since President Reagan’s Administration announced support for USMCA. In a letter to Congressional leaders, former Secretaries John Block (Reagan), Mike Espy (Clinton), Dan Glickman (Clinton), Ann Veneman (W. Bush), Mike Johanns (W. Bush), Ed Shafer (W. Bush), and Tom Vilsack (Obama) underscored the importance of passing USMCA saying, “We need a strong and reliable trade deal with our top two customers for U.S. agriculture products. USMCA will provide certainty in the North American market for the U.S. farm sector and rural economy. We strongly support ratification of USMCA.”
Key Provision: Increasing Dairy Market Access
- America’s dairy farmers will have expanded market opportunities in Canada for a wide variety of dairy products. Canada agreed to eliminate the unfair Class 6 and 7 milk pricing programs that allowed their farmers to undersell U.S. producers.
Key Provision: Biotechnology
- For the first time, the agreement specifically addresses agricultural biotechnology – including new technologies such as gene editing – to support innovation and reduce trade-distorting policies.
Key Provision: Geographical Indications
- The agreement institutes a more rigorous process for establishing geographical indicators and lays out additional factors to be considered in determining whether a term is a common name.
Key Provision: Sanitary/Phytosanitary Measures
- The three countries agree to strengthen disciplines for science-based measures that protect human, animal, and plant health while improving the flow of trade.
Key Provision: Poultry and Eggs
- U.S. poultry producers will have expanded access to Canada for chicken, turkey, and eggs.
Key Provision: Wheat
- Canada agrees to terminate its discriminatory wheat grading system, enabling U.S. growers to be more competitive.
Key Provision: Wine and Spirits
- The three countries agree to avoid technical barriers to trade through non-discrimination and transparency regarding sale, distribution, labeling, and certification of wine and distilled spirits.
The bill passed because the republicans finally agreed to put some labor agreements in. “GOP Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) famously said, “95 percent of what we’ll be voting on is the same as NAFTA.” That quote referred to the USMCA deal in 2018. It’s probably more like 85 to 90 percent now, but the bottom line is Trump didn’t burn up NAFTA. He made some modest tweaks.”
*Whatever the case is, Something actually got accomplished besides this wasteful impeachment. The Dems are not doing their job of working for the people but on their own agenda and goal to get Trump out or attempt to by a wasteful impeachment. This will backfire on them and will actually make Trump look better not worse .
*Too little, too late! Demoncraps have already demolished your party and lost so many of your voters! People are sick of the sham! Even Democrats! #walkaway Check out their page!! It is an awesome movement!!
Democrat’s Articles of Impeachment: No Collusion, No Quid Pro Quo, No Bribery, No Mueller
Never seen so much abuse of power as the one these Demoncrap politicians are committing. Waste of taxpayers money, an excuse to do “ nothing”. They should be ashamed of such travesty.
Most Americans don’t take well to our President being treated unfairly. Most Americans know a good economy when they see it, and they are not willing to ignore a good thing. Most Americans see right through all that has been thrown at our President on a daily basis. The Leftist Democrats didn’t see it coming in 2016 and their hatred will blind them again in 2020 when they see the results at the polls. Trump 2020.
*HOPE DEMOCRATS HAVE THEIR COFFINS READY!
*The winning continues. This deal should have been passed months ago. With polls showing more and more voters opposed to impeachment and overwhelming support for USMCA, the Democrats caved. Our economy will continue to grow, which means increased prosperity and opportunity. The exploding economy is a direct result of President Trump’s slashing of taxes and regulations, and fighting for better trade deals for American workers.
It’s obvious why they risked doing all this. It was illegal but they never thought their actions would come to light. They were SO convinced that Hillary would win and they would be safe and lauded for their misdeeds….Flagrantly Breaking the laws they had sworn to defend!!!
*Passage of #USMCA is well past due! Democrats have been so focused on impeachment, they have pushed this important trade deal to the back burners. Great to see USMCA will finally be approved. Big deal for the President and even more important for our Iowa farmers and our ag economy!
Good morning bot. Glad to see you are branching out a little with your bullshit.
No bull shit about it. It is the truth. And, as I told you before (you are to stupid to understand) not a bot at all. Just smarter and faster than you will ever be.
President Trump told supporters Tuesday at a Pennsylvania rally that he saw a “silver lining” in his impeachment: Democrats approved the historic U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement to replace NAFTA because they’re embarrassed by their own impeachment “witch hunt.”
Demoncraps even tried to make the passage of USMCA about them! “We changed the bill to make it right”do Demoncraps think we believe ANYTHING they say after this impeachment sham?
Whatever the case is, Something actually got accomplished besides this wasteful impeachment. The Dems are not doing their job of working for the people but on their own agenda and goal to get Trump out or attempt to by a wasteful impeachment. This will backfire on them and will actually make Trump look better not worse .
Too little, too late! Demoncraps have already demolished your party and lost so many of your voters! People are sick of the sham! Even Democrats! #walkaway Check out their page!! It is an awesome movement!!
Funny how Nancy will say “We must pass Obamacare to see whats in it ” but needs to set on the USMCA bill for 6 months so we can look at it.
HOPE DEMOCRATS HAVE THEIR COFFINS READY!
The winning continues. This deal should have been passed months ago. With polls showing more and more voters opposed to impeachment and overwhelming support for USMCA, the Democrats caved. Our economy will continue to grow, which means increased prosperity and opportunity. The exploding economy is a direct result of President Trump’s slashing of taxes and regulations, and fighting for better trade deals for American workers.
Passage of #USMCA is well past due! Democrats have been so focused on impeachment, they have pushed this important trade deal to the back burners. Great to see USMCA will finally be approved. Big deal for the President and even more important for our Iowa farmers and our ag economy!
Hello bot.
Hello Dumb Ass!
pelosi is guilty of obstructing justice for over a year to try and keep the American workers down .
You do have TDS. Go find a safe space. Preferably one next to Trump.
Conservatives don’t need a “safe space” or to have a good cry. Those are things that liberals need when others stand up to their BULLS**T.
she was Politically motivated to delay the relief to the workers for her benefit
We shouldn’t give trump credit for this although the Republicans will because without pelosi, it doesn’t pass. she negotiated specific labor and environmental standards, to get democrats on board, so it could pass. she gets all the credit.
If you are this quick to pile praise on Nancy Pelosi, you have some judgement issues.