Farm Groups Applaud USMCA Action

Agriculture groups welcome action in the Senate to advance USMCA. Passed by the Senate Finance Committee Tuesday, American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall says the agreement is "one step away" from completion. Duvall said passage of the agreement "will protect our valuable trade relationships with our nearest neighbors and return certainty to our markets."

The agreement is expected to increase U.S. Ag exports by $2 billion and result in a $65 billion increase in gross domestic product. National Pork Producers Council President David Herring in a statement said, "We now urge Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to schedule a vote on the floor as soon as possible."

For the U.S. pork industry, USMCA will maintain long-term, zero-duty market access to Mexico and Canada. In 2018, Canada and Mexico took over 40% of the pork that was exported from the United States, and a similar percentage is expected in 2019. U.S. pork exports to Canada and Mexico support 16,000 U.S. jobs.

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