Mexico and Canada may have little to ask for when it comes to ag trade barriers with the United States, but they could seek further dairy access. Former chief agriculture trade negotiator, Darci Vetter, told Politico since both Mexico and Canada have long wanted U.S. Food and Drug Administration recognition to sell Grade A dairy products like fresh yogurt and …
Conaway: NAFTA Too Important to Screw up
Following a weekend meeting in Canada, House Agriculture Chairman Mike Conaway said the North American Free Trade Agreement is “too important to screw up.” Conaway took part in a delegation of House members that focused on agricultural trade in a discussion with Canadian officials before this week’s round of NAFTA talks. In a statement, Conaway said the goal of the …
Trade Expert: U.S. is Setting Up NAFTA for Failure
Trade experts in Canada speculate President Donald Trump may be arranging the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) negotiations to allow the U.S. to walk away from the trade deal. The Canadian Press news agency says a consensus is growing that a series of untenable U.S. bargaining positions is part of a plan by Trump to lay the groundwork so …
Farm Bureau Endorses Bipartisan Farmers for Free Trade Campaign
Ahead of critical fourth NAFTA round, Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall, Senator Max Baucus, Farmers for Free Trade Board President Sara Lilygren, and Kansas Farm Bureau President Rich Felts to discuss efforts to strengthen grassroots support for trade & NAFTA’s importance to farmers and ranchers American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall joined Senators Max Baucus and Richard Lugar, Co-chairs …
NAFTA Negotiators Head to Washington This Week
NAFTA negotiators head into the fourth of seven scheduled rounds of talks this week in Washington, and agriculture is concerned as the talks enter a critical stage. American Farm Bureau (AFB) trade adviser Dave Salmonsen says the pace of talks and discussion of more sensitive issues is heightening tensions as the three-NAFTA partners try to score so-far, elusive gains. U.S. …
China Imports More U.S. Trash than Ag Products
China imports more U.S. trash than agricultural commodities, but that could soon change. China earlier this year filed a notice with the World Trade Organization about its plans to limit the entry of “foreign waste.” The Wall Street Journal reports this week that under the new rules, China by year’s end would ban imports of used plastics and require paper-scrap …
Business Leaders to Talk Trade with Mexico
Negotiations on the North American Free Trade Agreement continue Wednesday, with some speculating agriculture issues to finally emerge in the talks. However, while negotiators will be in Washington, D.C., the U.S. Chamber of Commerce will lead a delegation of U.S. CEO’s to Mexico City. Bloomberg reports that the U.S. business leaders will meet with counterparts from Mexico’s private sector and …
Agriculture Changes Expected in KORUS Revisions
A South Korea trade lawyer believes changes to agricultural trade will top the list of changes requested in KORUS, the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement. During a meeting last week between U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and South Korea trade officials, the two nations agreed to open KORUS to renegotiation. The U.S. proposed revisions to language in KORUS regarding industrial goods, …
Rep. Jake Raburn Comments on NAFTA
Trade representatives from the United States, Canada and Mexico have recently finished the third round of North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) renegotiations in Ottawa. While the officials try to work something out that can benefit all three countries, U.S. specialty crop growers are anxiously waiting to see if they will be helped by the new agreement. Regarding U.S. agriculture, …
Congressional Delegation Comments on Agriculture NAFTA Meetings in Ottawa
Members of a congressional delegation to Ottawa, Canada focused on the agricultural trade offered their comments following meetings with Canadian officials ahead of the next round of North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) negotiations: “Our goal over the past two days was to ensure our Canadian counterparts understand that U.S. production agriculture has a keen interest in getting NAFTA done …