Mar 25, 2019National Potato Council issues updates on trade situation
The U.S. trade agenda has been making a lot of news lately. Retaliatory tariffs, along with changes to agreements like NAFTA, TPP and our trade talks with China are having a considerable impact on the U.S. potato industry.
In this video, Kam Quarles, the National Potato Council’s Vice President of Public Policy, provides an update on the current U.S. trade agenda, what it means for the industry and some solutions.
Push for USMCA gearing up
It appears that the Administration is gearing up for a major push to pass the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. The week of March 25-29, the President is holding a strategy meeting at the White House with House of Representatives members in advance of sending the agreement to Capitol Hill for approval.
Currently, U.S. potato exports to Mexico have lost their zero duties under NAFTA in retaliation for steel and aluminum tariffs that the U.S. placed on Mexican shippers. NPC is pushing for those tariffs to be eliminated immediately. It is unclear if that will occur before or in conjunction with the passage of the USMCA.
If no action is taken to eliminate the retaliatory tariffs, up to $80 million annually in U.S. frozen fry exports are in jeopardy.
MORE: Trade topic of keynote address at Potato Expo 2019
