NAFTA ‘nervousness’ dominated a Senate confirmation hearing for two Trump Deputy U.S. Trade Representative nominees, as concerns about a possible North American Free Trade Agreement pull-out continued to surface. Senate Ag Chair Pat Roberts told fellow Kansan C.J. Mahoney, tapped by the president to be a Deputy U.S. Trade Representative with a portfolio including NAFTA talks, that it’s the wrong …
Canada Official: U.S. Direction on NAFTA Like Following a Pinball
An agriculture official from Canada says trying to determine the U.S. direction for the North American Free Trade Agreement is like “following a pinball.” Ron Bonnett, the Canadian Federation of Agriculture president, was attending when President Donald Trump spoke at the American Farm Bureau Federation convention last week. Bonnett told an Ontario, Canada-based newspaper that he is still optimistic that …
Speaker Ryan: Canada the Real Problem with NAFTA
U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin says the biggest problem with the North American Free Trade Agreement “comes from the North,” referring to Canada. Ryan points to Canadian dairy producers dumping low-cost products on the market to compete with Wisconsin farms, as the real issue with NAFTA. Late last week, the Republican said NAFTA needs updated, but said the …
Senator Ernst Suggests Trump is Softening on NAFTA Threats
U.S. Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa told the Iowa Corn Growers Association this week that President Donald Trump appears to be reassessing his position on the North American Free Trade Agreement. Ernst told farmers Monday that “I think he has doubts,” when it comes to withdrawing from NAFTA. Iowa’s Cedar Rapids Gazette reports that Ernst expects a follow up NAFTA …
National Potato Council: Trade A Concern
During the Potato Expo last week, National Potato Council President Cully Easterday of Washington State said the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) renegotiation provides concern to the industry. Trade Regarding NAFTA, Easterday says the three member nations have to work together, and he remains optimistic. Agreement Canada and Mexico were two of the top three export markets for U.S. …
Possible Breakthrough in a Major NAFTA Obstacle
One of the biggest sticking points in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has to do with the auto industry. There’s a little more optimism about progress after Canada joined Mexico in indicating there may be room for negotiation in the auto sector. The development comes just one day after markets dipped on Canada’s fear that the odds are …
Canada Welcomes Possible NAFTA Deadline Extension
President Donald Trump suggested that the deadline for renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement might need to be extended. A Reuters report says Canada is agreeable to the idea. Trump told the Wall Street Journal on Thursday that “a lot of things are hard to negotiate” as the Mexican presidential election is coming up in July. Canadian Foreign Minister …
Mexico to Leave NAFTA if Trump Starts Withdraw Process
Be it a threat, or intention, if President Donald Trump starts the withdrawal process from the North American Free Trade Agreement, Mexico will drop the trade pact. If Trump decides to leave NAFTA, he would trigger a six-month process to withdraw from the agreement. An official from Mexico said this week that if Trump announces a U.S. withdrawal from NAFTA, …
Canada More Convinced Trump Will Withdraw from NAFTA
Canada is becoming more convinced that President Donald Trump will soon announce U.S. intentions to withdraw from the North American Free Trade Agreement. President Trump told reporters at the AFBF annual convention earlier this week that he is negotiating tough for farmers, but did not rule out the possibility of withdrawing from the agreement. While the administration seemed to attempt …
Trump on NAFTA: Don’t Get Nervous
Following his address to the American Farm Bureau Federation earlier this week, President Donald Trump cautioned farmers and ranchers: “Don’t get nervous” regarding his efforts to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement. He made the comments during an interview with RFD-TV. In a separate interview with Agri-Pulse, Trump said: “I’m negotiating tough for the farmers.” Trump says he thinks …