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Wisconsin Ag Secretary comments on trade deals

Wisconsin’s Ag Secretary is pleased with progress on two major trade deals this week. 

Interim Secretary Randy Romanski tells Brownfield the signing of the phase one trade deal with China followed by Senate passage of the USMCA is important to Badger State agri-businesses. “Our top three trade partners have historically been Mexico, Canada, and China, so it’s really important that we try to get to that next level and get rid of some of these trade barriers, trade uncertainties that exist and we have to be hopeful that this will reopen some of those markets that have been affected by the tariffs.”

Romanski tells Brownfield Wisconsin agriculture has a tremendous footprint in the international marketplace. “It’s one of the strengths in the agriculture industry. The diversity of the products and commodities coming out of Wisconsin are appealing not only to people here in the state of Wisconsin and the United States but the world.”

Romanski says the state Ag, Trade, and Consumer Protection Board heard first-hand from impacted Wisconsin businesses, who said the tariffs and other barriers had a direct impact on their operations.  He says in the case of China, it took years to build those markets and he’s hopeful the new agreement can reopen those markets to Wisconsin trade.

Romanski spoke to Brownfield at the Wisconsin Agri-Business Conference in Madison..