It may have been lost in the shuffle of this year's pandemic, but the U.S., Canada and Mexico were able to update their trilateral trade agreement.
The updated NAFTA now known as USMCA, and it sits well with USDA's Ted McKinney.

"I'm a believer that the USMCA is very very good and it's something that can be sustained," McKinney noted.

Especially in areas addressing sanitary and phytosanitary barriers in Bio-sciences. However, as the Undersecretary noted some aspects for USMCA need close attention. For example, McKinney pointed out, U.S. Dairy access to Canada.

"We are concerned and we are watching very closely that they're trying a different methodology to once again protect their market so that no dairy or dairy products find their way in."

When it comes to Mexico.

"There's a pretty strong adoption of the precautionary principles that is emerging down there. Pesticides haven't been registered there since 2018 same for biotech trade there are some other discussions going on."

McKinney added those talks are taking place at "the highest levels". 

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