Feb 10, 202640-member coalition launches in support of USMCA renewal
Forty farm and agricultural groups, including the American Farm Bureau Federation and the International Fresh Produce Association, have united in support of a key international trade agreement.
The Agricultural Coalition for the United-States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) was formed to highlight the trade accord’s vital role as an economic engine for the U.S. farm economy and advocate for its renewal, according to a news release.
Under the trilateral trade deal that took effect in 2020, the U.S., Mexico and Canada must launch a joint review of the trade pact by July 1, its sixth anniversary. The countries must confirm their intention to renew it for a 16-year period or make modifications.
In January, the U.S. and Mexico agreed to begin talks on possible USMCA reforms at an unspecified date.
As part of its launch, the new coalition unveiled a new website and kicked off an ad campaign in Washington DC.
“USMCA has significantly propelled the ag economy,” group spokesperson Bryan Goodman said in the release. “We are not saying it’s perfect, as some changes are warranted, but we are saying it is of paramount importance to farmers that all three countries renew the agreement.”
The coalition said the agreement has significantly increased U.S. agriculture exports to Canada and Mexico, provided more certainty between the three nations, and created a mechanism for resolving trade disputes.
If the countries fail to reach an agreement, USMCA will expire in 2036.
“Our farmers make decisions a year or more in advance,” Goodman said. “They need the certainty of knowing USMCA is here to stay.”
