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Ag groups say USMCA is needed now

Ag groups are urging Congress to ratify the U.S. Mexico Canada Agreement soon.

Kent Bacus, director of international trade and market access with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, says lawmakers need to act on the USMCA soon because it will be difficult to ratify the agreement during an election year.

“When you get into the full swing of an election year it’s hard to get congress to do anything,” he says. “Trade agreements are extremely tough to get through and the last thing we need is for the USMCA to be hung up in Congress or put on the back burner.”

He says if it’s not approved before the end of a year it could be a few years before it’s finalized.

Joshua Tonsager, vice president of policy and communications with National Association of Wheat Growers, says they have been talking to new members of congress about the positive changes made in the USMCA.

“There’s a lot of important improvements made with the USMCA that we’ve been working to tell our good story about to members of Congress that they can feel a sense of urgency to move forward before the end of this year,” he says.

Brooke Appleton, vice president of public policy with the National Corn Growers Association, says getting the USMCA across the finish line is the group’s number one legislative priority right now.

“A win in the trade bucket would be really good for our farmers and that’s something that’s right in front of us and that we’re really encouraging everyone to pull together on, talk to your members of Congress, and make sure we get this thing moving forward,” she says.

The groups spoke to Brownfield at the 2019 Washington Watch by the National Association of Farm Broadcasting.