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Walker says trade goes on with or without NAFTA

Wisconsin’s Governor says the end of NAFTA would not mean the end of trade with Canada and Mexico.  Scott Walker tells Brownfield the states will still be working to trade beyond the borders.  “In the end, Governors play as big if not a bigger role in trade than does anyone at the federal level.  While the President and the Congress can set policy on things like NAFTA, we are the ones that end up doing the trade deals that push things together.  With or without this framework, we’re still going to aggressively advocate for trade.”

Walker says he supports updating NAFTA and not scrapping it. “I  don’t think it’s good, certainly for our farmers nor our state as a whole if the United States were to back out of NAFTA. I think that’s not a good idea, but if we’re going to have free trade, we’ve got to have a level playing field, and with ultrafiltered milk as a classic example, and it’s true on timber and other products as well, is you can’t pick and choose what’s going to be free and fair.  It’s got to be across the board.”

Walker says with a level playing field, Wisconsin’s farmers, producers, and processors can compete with anyone in the world.

Walker signed an executive order Wednesday instructing the state’s ag department to offer dairy businesses a low-interest revolving loan program for value-added products and to provide referrals, education, and technical assistance for the ag industry to explore new markets.