The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) commended House lawmakers for voting 385-41 in favor of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
“Having a sound and competitive trade agreement with Mexico and Canada is critical to the continued economic success of U.S agriculture and for the U.S. economy as a whole,” said NGFA President and CEO Randy Gordon. “The USMCA preserves or expands upon critical market access for U.S. agricultural products in the North American market and provides a 21st century blueprint for future trade agreements.
USMCA would further enhance seamless U.S. food and agricultural trade with Mexico and Canada and would deliver an additional $2.2 billion in U.S. economic activity, he noted.
“NGFA particularly appreciates the dedication and persistence of U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and House leadership to overcome final hurdles to reach this milestone,” Gordon said. “We urge the Senate to continue progress on this vital agreement for the United States and the entire North American region by ratifying USMCA as soon as possible.”
The USMCA trade agreement would preserve or expand upon critical market access for U.S. agricultural products in the North American market. In addition to maintaining a tariff-free environment for most agricultural goods, USMCA also would address non-tariff barriers that are paramount among the current global challenges that distort and slow cross-border trade flows. Among other benefits, USMCA would: Facilitate cross-border trade flows through higher levels of regulatory coherence and cooperation; implement timelines and notifications for adverse import checks; reduce the likelihood of trade disruptions in products of agricultural biotechnology; apply technical consultations for sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) disputes and create a mechanism for expeditiously resolve cross-border SPS issues on individual shipments; and require that SPS standards be grounded in science, based on proper risk assessments and implemented using prudent risk-management techniques.
NGFA members continuously have been urging their members of Congress to approve USMCA, utilizing the Association’s advocacy tool available at ngfa.org/advocacy.
The NGFA, established in 1896, consists of more than 1,000 grain, feed, processing, exporting and other grain-related companies that operate more than 7,000 facilities and handle more than 70 percent of all U.S. grains and oilseeds. Its membership includes grain elevators; feed and feed ingredient manufacturers; biofuels companies; grain and oilseed processors and millers; exporters; livestock and poultry integrators; and associated firms that provide goods and services to the nation’s grain, feed and processing industry. The NGFA also consists of 34 affiliated State and Regional Grain and Feed Associations, and is co-located and has a strategic alliance with North American Export Grain Association, and a strategic alliance with Pet Food Institute.
