Ag Interests Lobby for USMCA Vote to Come Soon
A top dairy lobbying group announced that executives would be visiting Congress Dec. 4 in what they characterized as “a last-ditch effort to save this deal,” and Farmers for Free Trade sent a letter to the top Republican and top Democrat in each chamber asking that the vote on the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement come as soon as possible. The letter, signed by 2,200 farmers around the country, was sent Dec. 3, and said that trade wars have hurt agriculture badly. “We have suffered from retaliatory tariffs, lost market share, and watched while America’s competitors are seen as more reliable trading partners. The reasons for this crisis are manifold but providing certainty about continued trade with two of our three largest export markets would provide America’s farmers and food manufacturers with a needed boost,” the letter said. “We are counting on our elected officials to champion the folks back home and appreciate your urgent action.”
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The International Dairy Foods Association announced the visit on Capitol Hill by the CEO of Sargento Foods, the CEO of a Northwestern dairy cooperative, the CEO of a California/Texas dairy company that sells whey proteins and lactose, in addition to cheese, and other top executives from Ohio, Illinois and even a Canadian dairy company. In the release, IDFA wrote: “News reports about the status of USMCA change by the day and signals from industry insiders are mixed, creating significant concern among dairy companies who rely on exports to remain profitable.”