Wisconsin Farm Bureau Statement on U.S. Mexico Canada Agreement Signing

The following statement can be attributed to Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation President Jim Holte:

“The signing of the U.S. Mexico Canada Agreement signifies positive progress on trade. 

USMCA keeps the agricultural trade benefits from the North American Free Trade Agreement but also provides improvements in certain sectors, including dairy. USMCA eliminates aspects of Canada’s dairy program that were being used to undercut U.S. dairy products, although specifics of the new pricing system are still unknown.

While this agreement gives us momentum in the right direction, we also need to note that retaliatory tariffs are still in place and ratification from legislators of all three countries is still needed. The remaining retaliatory tariffs over steel and aluminum are not helping our already-burdened farmers and need to be eliminated as soon as possible.

The state’s agricultural economy greatly benefits from trade and the relationships with our neighboring countries. Any more market access we can grant our anxious farmers would be welcomed.”