Republican Senator Jerry Moran penned an open letter to farmers and ranchers this week asking them to “do more” regarding concerns surrounding the North American Free Trade Agreement. The letter urges farmers, farm groups, and others, to “raise their concerns” with President Trump. He challenged the industry to do so via op-eds, letters, social media campaigns, and other venues about …
Ag Coalition Stressing Importance of NAFTA
A coalition of agriculture groups is stressing the importance of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) to state governors. The coalition representing more than 100 agriculture groups is asking the governors to let President Trump know that they “support a modernized NAFTA that maintains and enhances food and agricultural trade,” according to the Hagstrom Report. The letter comes as …
Slight Majority of Americans Favor NAFTA
New findings from the Pew Research Center show 56 percent of Americans believe the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is good for the United States. Just one-third, 33 percent, of respondents to a Pew Research poll say the trade deal is bad for the United States. The study surveyed more than 1,500 adults at the end of October as …
Congress Wants Input on NAFTA Withdraw, if it Happens
There are concerns that President Trump may pull the United States out of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Wisconsin Third District Congressman Ron Kind says if that would happen, it would be the first time the U.S. has pulled out of a signed agreement. Kind believes that before a withdrawal happens, Congress should have some input on pulling …
NAFTA Talks Again Underway
Round five of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) talks are set to begin Friday (11/17/2017) in Mexico City. However, Politico points out that talks will unofficially begin Wednesday (11/14/2017). Much of the two-day prelude to the official talks are expected to focus on textiles, labor, cross-border trade and intellectual property. There’s little expectation of talks regarding agriculture, at …
Agriculture Watching NAFTA Talks Closely
The NAFTA renegotiations provide an opportunity to improve agricultural trade across partner countries. However, recent rhetoric and delays in the renegotiation are giving way to rising concerns over the trade deal’s future. Missouri Farm Bureau President Blake Hurst says U.S. agriculture depends on NAFTA. He says recent rhetoric regarding trade is troubling to farmers, especially after Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, …
NAFTA Withdrawal Contingency Plans
Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue says he’s in the process of drawing up contingency plans for the agriculture industry, in case the U.S. withdraws from the North American Free Trade Agreement. The Washington Examiner says those comments come just days ahead of the fifth round of talks between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. There hasn’t been a lot of measurable progress …
House Ag Committee Leaders Call for NAFTA Conclusion
House Ag Committee leaders and a group of farm lobbyists are calling on the Trump Administration to not withdraw from the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The Hagstrom Report says they’re also asking the White House to finish negotiations quickly to avoid potential declines in agricultural exports. Texas Republican and House Ag Committee Chair Michael Conaway and Minnesota Democrat …
Trump’s Aggressive Trade Strategy Both Defended and Criticized in Farm Circles
President Trump’s aggressive trade strategy of threatening to pull out of existing agreements without big concessions to the U.S. is being both defended and criticized in farm circles. President Trump is again taking a hard line with U.S. trading partners in Asia, after first dumping TPP and now threatening to ditch NAFTA. It’s a strategy that has many, especially in …
NAFTA Negotiators Extend Length of Next Round
A Bloomberg report says negotiators discussing the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) will begin next week’s round in Mexico City two days early. The goal is to give themselves more time to discuss a large number of issues surrounding the two-decade-old pact. Negotiators last met in Washington D.C., for the previous round of talks. Two officials close to the …