Members of the American Soybean Association (ASA) board of directors from five states attended the United States-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) trade agreement signing ceremony at the White House in celebration of the new treaty. ASA represents soy farmers from 30 total soy-producing states and is pleased to see the agreement signed into law.
“This final step by President Trump ensures soybean growers will maintain access to two of their top markets, and it will also support the poultry and dairy industries that are important to soy,” said Bill Gordon, ASA president and grower from Worthington, Minn. “We reiterate our hearty thanks to both houses of Congress, the president, and their staff who worked together to make this important deal happen.”
Gordon, Brad Doyle (Ar Bret Davis (OH), Daryl Cates (IL), and Brad Kremer (WI) joined leaders from other agriculture groups who attended the signing on behalf of their industries and who have supported USMCA as an opportunity for market certainty and continued growth.
Mexico has already acted on USMCA, and Canada’s Parliament is expected to follow the United States and approve the deal in the coming weeks. The deal is expected to take effect later this year after additional procedural steps.
Mexico is the #2 market for whole beans, meal and oil, and Canada is the #4 buyer of meal and #7 buyer of oil for U.S. soybean farmers, making the trade agreement essential to sustaining the growth realized in those two countries under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Under NAFTA, U.S. soybean sales to Mexico quadrupled and to Canada doubled.
Minnesota legislators on both sides of the aisle lauded the agreement.
“I’ve listened to farmers and small businesses about the need for a trade deal that opens up markets. I’ve pushed to make sure hard-working Minnesotans weren’t given a false choice between dependable markets and affordable prescription drugs,” said Rep. Angie Craig. “I’m proud to have worked with my colleagues and the administration to get this across the finish line and signed into law.”
Rep. Jim Hagedorn, who spoke last week at MSGA’s annual meeting, often brought a sign proclaiming #USMCANOW to campaign events and meetings with commodity groups.
“The USMCA is a well-deserved and much-needed win for our workers, farmers, manufacturers, consumers and families,” said Rep. Hagedorn. “As a member of the House Agriculture Committee and the first member of Minnesota‘s congressional delegation to support USMCA, I am looking forward to the benefits it will bring to our First District economy, especially through newly opened and expanded markets for pork, dairy, corn, soybeans and poultry.”
