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The Brillion News
WASHINGTON, D.C. - President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed the US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement, and provisions of it are expected to directly benefit Wisconsin's dairy sector.
“Today is a good day for American agriculture. Throughout this process, there were many detractors who said it couldn’t be done," said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue. "But this is further proof that President Trump’s trade negotiation strategy is working. This agreement shows the rest of the world the United States is open for business."
Key provisions of the agreement, as identified by the USDA, include: Increasing Dairy Market Access America’s dairy farmers will have expanded market opportunities in Canada for a wide variety of dairy products. Canada agreed to eliminate the unfair Class 6 and 7 milk pricing programs that allowed their farmers to undersell U.S. producers.
Biotechnology For the first time, the agreement specifically addresses agricultural biotechnology – including new technologies such as gene editing – to support innovation and reduce trade-distorting policies. Geographical Indications The agreement institutes a more rigorous process for establishing geographical indicators and lays out additional factors to be considered in determining whether a term is a common name. Sanitary/Phytosanitary Measures The three countries agree to strengthen disciplines for science-based measures that protect human, animal, and plant health while improving the flow of trade. Poultry and Eggs U.S. poultry producers will have expanded access to Canada for chicken, turkey, and eggs. Wheat Canada agrees to terminate its discriminatory wheat grading system, enabling U.S. growers to be more competitive. Wine and Spirits The three countries agree to avoid technical barriers to trade through non-discrimination and transparency regarding sale, distribution, labeling, and certification of wine and distilled spirits.