Specialty crop growers are more than ready to see changes to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). While certain agriculture industries have fared well from the agreement, such as potatoes, apples and cherries, specialty crops have not. Established in 1994, NAFTA created free trade between the United States, Canada and Mexico. However, the United States specialty crop industry is …
Perdue Talks NAFTA Benefits with Trump
President Donald Trump is once again threatening to tear up the North American Free Trade Agreement. USDA Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue spoke with the president this week about the merits of the trade deal. Bloomberg says Perdue is working to convince Trump that NAFTA has been a boon to agriculture. Perdue said the deal does have “rough edges” that could …
Officials from Mexico Visited Washington After NAFTA Threats
Two government officials from Mexico were in Washington D.C. earlier this week, following threats by President Donald Trump to terminate the North American Free Trade Agreement. While Canada and Mexico have both dismissed Trump’s threats as a negotiating tactic, two officials traveled to Washington on what the Mexican Government called a “pre-planned” trip. A source in the foreign ministry of …
Agri View: Trade Policies
Everett Griner talks about President Trumps’ trade policies disturbing in today’s Agri View. If Donald Trump were running for President now, I don’t think he would enjoy the support he got from America’s farmers. He has pushed for changes in import/export trade that farmers don’t like. But, when he started to mess with that recently established trade …
Harvey Forces Shutdown of Texas Ports, Threatens Others
Two major ports along the Gulf of Mexico in Texas are closed following the flooding and damage from Hurricane Harvey. Ports at the Texas Gulf account for about 24 percent of U.S. wheat exports, three percent of corn shipments and two percent of soybeans. In 2011, the Port of Corpus Christi ranked 13th in the Nation for total waterborne agricultural …
Mexico Won’t Negotiate NAFTA Via Twitter
Mexico declared over the weekend the nation would not negotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement via social media. The announcement followed another post on Twitter by President Donald Trump calling NAFTA the “worst deal ever made.” Trump wrote on Twitter that Canada and Mexico were being “very difficult” and suggested he “may have to terminate” the trade agreement. Many …
Putnam Supports 2017 National Trade Policy Agenda
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam sent a letter to the House Committee on Ways and Means, voicing his support of the 2017 National Trade Policy Agenda. This agenda will help create a more even playing field for America’s farmers, ranchers and businesses. The following is an excerpt from the letter: “I applaud the Trump Administration’s National Trade Policy …
U.S. and Mexican Dairy Industries Make United Call
The U.S. and Mexican dairy industries released a unified list of priorities today that includes modernizing the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) to solidify their strong dairy market partnership, and addressing concerns about Canadian and European dairy policies. A list of nine shared priorities was agreed upon Thursday at a second annual summit meeting here between leaders of the …
China Threatening Retaliation Against U.S. Over Trade Sanctions
China is threatening to retaliate against the U.S. over trade sanctions and a trade investigation, and that has U.S. agriculture on edge. China’s upset with U.S. sanctions against Chinese firms buying coal and other minerals from North Korea, and with a pending U.S. probe of China’s intellectual property practices. Beijing says the probe’s “poured cold water” on improving trade relations, …
NAFTA Nations Sign Non-Disclosure Agreement
The U.S., Canada, and Mexico signed non-disclosure agreements before negotiations of the North American Free Trade Agreement got underway. Officials from Mexico last week confirmed the non-disclosure agreements to Reuters, which reports that the first round of talks this month concluded with signs of deep division on key issues. Per the non-disclosure agreements, each government is barred from distributing texts, …