WASHINGTON, D.C. - On Wednesday, at the invitation of President Donald J. Trump, Kansas First District Congressman Roger Marshall, M.D., attended the official White House ceremony for the signing of the USMCA trade agreement. Canada and Mexico are the United States’ two single-largest trading partners.
The long-anticipated United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement replaces the North American Free Trade Agreement that went into force January 1994. Mexican lawmakers ratified the deal in December, and Canadian officials are expected to signed off on it in the coming weeks.
“This signing represents the continued work being done by the Trump Administration on behalf of America’s farmers, ranchers, and small business owners,” said Dr. Marshall. “This marks yet another major promise kept by this President and a huge step forward in fairer and more reciprocal trade between these three countries. This agreement will bring long-term stability for Kansas agriculture, and not to mention, millions of dollars in new trade opportunities that will result in thousands of Kansas jobs.”
The U.S. exported a combined $4 billion in goods to Canada and Mexico in 2018 alone. The USMCA trade agreement will result in more than $68 billion in new economic activity, stability, and certainty for America’s agriculture producers and small business owners. This 21st century agreement will also set a new standard for all future multi-lateral trade agreements.
“I was proud to stand by a president who just delivered BIG on behalf of hard working Kansans.”
“I’m proud to have stood with President Trump as he signed the USMCA implementing legislation at the White House today,” Kansas Republican Senior Sen. Pat Roberts said. The USMCA is a critical trade agreement and I am pleased it has finally been brought to fruition.
Marshall and Roberts were not alone in praising he pact. Kansas Farm Bureau is hopeful Kansas farmers and ranchers soon will reap the benefits of the pact, said KFB President Rich Felts.
“I’ve always said we want trade, not aid,” he said. “We also want to be good neighbors, and this agreement solidifies our relationship with America’s top two trading partners. The USMCA is projected to increase U.S. agricultural exports to Canada and Mexico by $2 billion, and I know Kansas farmers and ranchers are eager to do their part to supply the increased demand.”
USMCA will advance United States agricultural interests in two of the most important markets for American farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses, said U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue. This agreement builds upon our existing markets to expand United States food and agricultural exports and support food processing and rural jobs.
“Canada and Mexico are our first and second largest export markets for United States food and agricultural products, totaling more than $39.7 billion food and agricultural exports in 2018,” he said. “These exports support more than 325,000 American jobs.”
All food and agricultural products that have zero tariffs under NAFTA will remain at zero tariffs. Since the original NAFTA did not eliminate all tariffs on agricultural trade between the United States and Canada, the USMCA will create new market access opportunities for United States exports to Canada of dairy, poultry, and eggs, and in exchange the United States will provide new access to Canada for some dairy, peanut, and a limited amount of sugar and sugar-containing products.
“Today is a good day for American agriculture. Throughout this process, there were many detractors who said it couldn’t be done. This agreement shows the rest of the world the United States is open for business. USMCA is critical for America’s farmers and ranchers, who will now have even more market access to our neighbors to the north and the south. I am excited to see the economic benefits of this agreement increase the prosperity of all Americans, especially those living in rural America,” said Secretary Perdue.
