What They are Saying: Ag Community Support for President Donald J. Trump's Successful Trade Negotiations with Mexico and Canada

Government Officials:

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig: “This is the welcome news our farmers need as they bring in this year’s harvest and plan for 2019. Canada and Mexico are our first and second largest trading partners. This agreement brings much needed certainty to our producers and ensures access to these critical markets going forward.”

Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture Ryan Quarles: “Excited to hear about the new trade deal with Canada and Mexico. Our producers need the certainty that comes from trade. Looking forward to getting the full details of #USMCA in the coming days #KyAg365.”

Louisiana Department of Agriculture & Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain: “I’m pleased that Canada and Mexico have taken this important step in the right direction toward fair trade and increased market access for American farmers and ranchers. The deal includes key provisions regarding U.S. wheat, dairy, poultry and eggs. I’m hopeful the USMC deal will fuel a renewed effort to improve trade tensions with China, a major agricultural market for Louisiana.”

Missouri Director of Agriculture Chris Chinn: “I am encouraged the Trump administration has reached a deal with the leadership of Mexico and Canada to provide an improved, modernized trilateral trade agreement. Firming up this agreement with Missouri’s top two agriculture export partners marks a huge leap forward for our farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses.”

Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts: “President Trump has delivered on his promise to finalize a new trade deal with Canada and Mexico… Most importantly, it helps give Nebraska’s farmers and businesses much-needed certainty, and will help us grow these important trade relationships for years to come.”

Rep. Collin C. Peterson, Ranking Member, House Committee on Agriculture: “Dairy and poultry are huge concerns for me, and I am encouraged with the access and provisions it appears we’ve secured in this agreement.”

Sen. Debbie Stabenow, Ranking Member, Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry: “I’ve said from the beginning that given NAFTA’s importance to our economy in Michigan, a modernization is long overdue. I’m encouraged that there have been positive steps forward.”

Rep. Mike K. Conaway, Chairman, House Committee on Agriculture: “President Trump promised to deliver a modernized NAFTA agreement that was better for America’s farmers, ranchers, businesses and workers – and I’m hopeful this newly announced agreement will do just that.”

Sen. Pat Roberts, Chairman, Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry: “This trade pact will provide our farmers and ranchers with much needed export market certainty and will strengthen the relationship with two of our most important trading partners.”

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller: “Just as President Donald J. Trump promised, Canada has agreed to join the new trade agreement with the United States and Mexico to replace the failed NAFTA agreement! Once again, President Donald J. Trump’s is keeping his promises.”

West Virginia Department of Agriculture Commissioner Kent Leonhardt: “We are pleased President Donald Trump has negotiated a new trade agreement with our neighbors to the north and south… We have faith this agreement will put America on equal footing with the rest of the world, as well as benefit the American and West Virginian farmer alike.”

Stakeholder Groups:

American Dairy Coalition: “USMCA will give our workers, farmers, ranchers and businesses a high-standard trade agreement that will result in freer markets, fairer trade and robust economic growth in our region. It will strengthen the middle class, and create good, well-paying jobs and new opportunities for the nearly half billion people who call North America home.”

American Farm Bureau Federation: “Today’s announcement regarding the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement is welcome news. This was a hard-fought win and we commend the administration for all the efforts to solidify the trading relationships we have with our North American neighbors.”

American Soybean Association: “With USMCA, KORUS, and other agreements in sight, we are hopeful that a negotiated solution to the China tariffs could be in sight.”

National Association of State Departments of Agriculture: “We are pleased by the successful conclusion of negotiations among the U.S., Mexico and Canada on a modernized trilateral trade agreement. As we look forward to reviewing the full details of this agreement in the coming days, we applaud the important win this deal represents for American farmers, ranchers, and agribusinesses – all partners with and customers of state departments of agriculture. We are especially appreciative for the administration’s efforts to address market access challenges with Canada for dairy, wheat and wine.

National Association of Wheat Growers/U.S. Wheat Associates: “The National Association of Wheat Growers and U.S. Wheat Associates welcome the Administration’s decision to move ahead with an updated trade deal with Canada and Mexico and look forward to learning more about the details.”

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association: “This new agreement is great news for American cattle producers, and another sign that President Trump’s overall trade strategy is working. Over the past quarter century, free and open trade between the United States, Mexico, and Canada has been tremendously successful for our producers, and we’re pleased that we’ll be able to maintain our existing market access while seeing other U.S. producers get a better deal than they’ve gotten in the past.”

National Grain and Feed Association and North American Export Grain Association: “The announcement of a new U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) represents a significant, positive step in modernizing and further enhancing North American food and agricultural commerce that has and will continue to benefit economic growth and consumers in this hemisphere, and further enhance investment and food security.”

National Pork Producers Council: “The three-way pact with Mexico and Canada, our largest and fourth largest export markets, respectively, and the recently signed agreement with Korea represent welcome momentum during what has been a challenging year.”

In the News:

Agri-Pulse: Plenty of wins for US ag in new US-Canada-Mexico trade deal: “U.S. farm groups are cheering the last-minute deal struck Sunday night to keep Canada in a newly renamed North American trade pact with the U.S. and Mexico. The U.S. agriculture sector is primarily relieved now that it looks like the virtually tariff-free trade pact between the three countries will remain whole, but there are plenty of provision in the new deal for U.S. farmers and ranchers to celebrate.“

NBC News: U.S. dairy farmers applaud new trade agreement at World Dairy Expo: “Obviously we have to celebrate it, Steve Maddox, a dairyman from Riverdale, California, told NBC News. “We appreciate the President keeping us front and center on these trade negotiations, trying to get some fairness in the export market.“ “It was a breath of fresh air for us Americans, it gives us opportunity,“ said Dan Basse, a dairy farmer from Waukesha, Wisconsin. “We’re an open-market society. Now as we look forward, we see an opportunity that maybe we can export more product and raise our price to profitability.“

The Wall Street Journal: U.S. Farmers Welcome New North American Trade Pact: “Farmers and agribusinesses welcomed the agreement on a new North American trade pact, easing fears that the Trump administration’s tough negotiating strategy could deepen economic struggles in the U.S. heartland.”… “In trade negotiations, and I’ve been around a lot of them, there’s always a lot of pressure that builds in order to get anything,” said David Salmonsen, senior director of congressional relations for the American Farm Bureau Federation. “We believe the outcome’s positive.”

CNBC Squawk Box: Sec. Perdue: USMCA will be good for US agriculture