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USMCA provides more opportunity for US rice

An Arkansas rice farmer says implementation of the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement provides certainty for the nation’s rice producers.

Dow Brantley farms east of Little Rock, Arkansas.  “We have open and free trade with both Mexico and Canada,” he says.  “Because of the trade agreement and NAFTA many years ago, Mexico is now our number one market, and Canada, I believe, is a top 5 export market.”

He tells Brownfield the original NAFTA agreement was very good for the US rice market and the new agreement provides continued opportunity.  “The growth potential? I don’t know how much USMCA will add to that,” he says.  “It just secures our market and maintains what we have had.  Which has been very good growth over the past 25 years.”

Brantley says they’re looking forward to the next opportunity for new trading partners – wherever that might be. 

AUDIO: Dow Brantley, Arkansas rice grower