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National Farmers Union: “USMCA should be a floor, not a ceiling”

The National Farmers Union was pleased with the signing of the USMCA trade deal Wednesday and hopes it sets a foundation for future agreements.

President Roger Johnson tells Brownfield originally, their board unanimously opposed the deal, but many improvements were made ahead of the signing including strengthening labor requirements and removing a provision that would have provided monopoly price protection for pharmaceutical companies.  

Johnson says farmers have waited a long time for NAFTA’s replacement, but this is not a stopping point.

“It really is important that future trade agreements look at USMCA as being a floor, not a ceiling. The provisions that are in USMCA need to be continued and they need to expand on them.”

Johnson says their members want to see future trade deals strengthen labor and environmental standards and restore country-of-origin labeling.