With USMCA on the books, one thing livestock producers will want to watch closely, the cooperation over keeping devastating animal diseases, like African Swine Fever, out of North America.

"We are working toward trading agreements and relationships that are made easier by the fact that over our share agreement is in place," said Lisa Rochette, the Assistant Director of swine health with USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

"We are working with our Canadian counterparts to provide each other with some background about what our current surveillance and response capabilities are for African Swine Fever.," Rochette added.

She said regular communication is important.

"Instead of in the middle of an outbreak there being a negotiation where we have to exchange all the information, we can go ahead and review that information in a reciprocal way and provide each other feedback so that we can go ahead and kind of pave the way for the trade implications. And what the trade implications might be in the event of an outbreak."


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