USMCA Almost there as NMPF Urges Senate to Approve Accord, Secure Dairy Certainty

After months of negotiations between Congress and the White House, the House overwhelmingly passed an improved U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement on Dec. 19. The next step is for the Senate to swiftly ratify the deal, which provides tangible benefits to dairy producers.

The trade pact contains several provisions specifically focused on improving export prospects for the U.S. dairy including USMCA’s elimination of Canada’s harmful Class 7 dairy program and the deal’s assurances that the use of many common food names will not be impeded in Mexico. The agreement is expected to add $548 million in dairy-farm revenues in its first six years of implementation.

In addition, important advancements made during negotiations between lawmakers and the White House will strengthen USMCA, including more-effective enforcement measures that will give the dairy industry greater assurance and improves tools that will put USMCA’s reforms into place.

America’s dairy farmers are counting on the Senate to move quickly to finalize USMCA, without which the industry will continue to wait for the agreement’s upgrades to NAFTA.

“USMCA will expand trade opportunities with our most valuable partners and secure immediate benefits for our rural communities,” said Jim Mulhern, NMPF president and CEO.

USMCA promises to become a template for future deals as it helps restore international confidence in the U.S. as a trading partner and encourages progress toward other agreements. Tools to keep up the pressure on Congress to complete USMCA can be found here.