United States-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement

Floor Speech

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Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement has been in force for 6 years. It is scheduled for review-- and renewal, I hope--now, and that process is going on. I have been here two or three times this year to discuss the importance of continuing the Mexico-Canada agreement with the United States.

This week, delegates from Mexico will be meeting with U.S. trade officials to discuss leveling the playing field in agriculture under the USMCA. I would like to discuss some specific issues that affect the country nationally but that also affect my State of Iowa.

In July of last year, the United States ended the Tomato Suspension Agreement with Mexico. In direct response, the Mexican Government launched an investigation into the American pork industry. That is what affects my State of Iowa. Not only has the ending of the suspension agreement led to a tit for tat between the United States and Mexico, but it has opened the door to the issue of seasonality of fresh produce.

The effects of this issue stretch way and far beyond the southernmost regions of the United States--even up to my State of Iowa, where covered produce growers have been negatively impacted by the end of the tomato agreement.

While the USMCA meetings on agriculture take place, I hope that our U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Greer and others on his team take into consideration all the produce growers across the United States and especially the potential impact of Mexico's investigation of the U.S. pork industry. This is particularly important for my State of Iowa, as my State is the top producing State in the entire country, and Mexico is the No. 1 export market for American pork, with over $22 billion in exports last year alone. These issues must be resolved quickly for farmers who rely on this important market.

The USMCA has been an important trade agreement for Iowa agriculture. While there are areas for improvement, I urge the Trump administration to quickly advance trilateral conversations on renewing it. And I think it should be renewed. It is a big deal for all three countries, and it is a particularly big deal for American agriculture.

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