Lamkakers say the recent passage of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), the new North American free trade pact, will provide a significant economic boost to Montana farmers, ranchers and small businesses.
The USMCA passed the Senate by an 89-10 vote recently and is awaiting President Donald Trump's signature and Canada's to ratify the agreement for it to take effect.
Montana Farm Bureau President Hans McPherson said in a statement that the deal will help farmers and ranchers. He thanked Demoratic U.S. Sen. Jon Tester for his effort to get the deal done.
“This trade agreement is essential for Montana’s farmers and ranchers to have commerce with two of our largest trading partners," McPherson said. The "Montana Farm Bureau has been working hard to see this agreement pass, and we truly appreciate Sen. Tester’s dedication to the USMCA and its benefit to Montana agriculture.”
Tester was also encouraged by what the future holds for ranchers and farmers with the passage of the USMCA.
“Every Montanan working in production ag knows you need certainty and open markets to move your products,” Tester said in a statement. “The USMCA will help Montana producers regain the stability they’ve lost under this administration and makes progress on critical issues like Canada’s discriminatory wheat grading practices.”
The agreement should help Montana farmers gain access to Mexican and Canadian markets, Montana Stockgrowers Association President Fred Wacker said.
“This agreement will preserve duty-free, unrestricted access for U.S. beef exports to Canada and Mexico, which will provide our Montana ranchers the certainty they need," he said.
Republican Sen. Steve Daines also supported the USMCA, saying it has the the potential to generate more than 180,000 new jobs in the country and could increase the nation’s GDP by $70 billion.
“This trade deal is another big win for our farmers, our ranchers and our small businesses across Montana and the country,” Daines said in a statement.."This deal provides certainty for Montana agriculture and protects critical access to our two biggest trading partners. I’m thankful for President Trump and his leadership in getting this done, and I look forward to getting it signed into law.”
The USMCA trade agreement will replace the 1994 NAFTA pact and will help eliminate the outsourcing of jobs, according to the Montana Grain Growers Association (MGGA).
“This important trade agreement gives our farmers some stability with two of our largest trading partners in the world. It will serve as a pathway to better markets, improve prices and act as a stepping stone for many more trade agreements in the future,” MGGA president Vince Mattson said.
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