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Vilsack: Partners Need to Adhere to USMCA Pledges

Pact with Canada and Mexico is already showing cracks

PEXELS
PEXELS

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said Monday that one of his top priorities will be making sure Canada and Mexico live up to their promises under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), a pact that is already showing cracks, reports AgriPulse.

Vilsack is scheduled to meet virtually with Canadian Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau and Mexican Agriculture Secretary Victor Villalobos in separate meetings Tuesday, according to a USDA spokesman.

But Canada, which the U.S. is already accusing of falling short on its dairy commitments under USMCA, is the immediate priority, according to Vilsack.

In reaction to Secretary Vilsack’s statement prioritizing compliance with the provisions established by USMCA, John Bode, president and CEO of the Corn Refiners Association, said he applauds Vilsack’s commitment to ensuring compliance, which promises significant benefits to America’s farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses.

"The raw truth is the administration faces significant challenges in doing so," said Bode in his statement. "Especially regarding our food and agriculture trade relationship with Mexico, relations have deteriorated substantially since approval of USMCA. Recent actions by Mexico have threatened to subvert this critical trade relationship, including a move to ban glyphosate and GMO corn, a state-sponsored campaign of disparagement aimed at refined corn products, as well as other actions that discriminate against U.S. exports. Mexico represents one of America’s most important food and agriculture trading partners. We look forward to working with the administration to ensure that troubling actions are overcome to the benefit of both nations.”

The U.S. corn refining industry is a staunch advocate of free trade agreements that open markets and level the playing field for all industries. U.S. corn refiners export nearly $2 billion in goods annually, adding $47 billion to the overall economy.

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