WASHINGTON, D.C. [07/01/20]—U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) said that she expects the U.S-Mexico-Canada Free Trade Agreement (USMCA) going into effect today to add much-needed trade certainty for Minnesota farmers, businesses, and consumers who have weathered years of uncertain trade policies and are facing a challenging coronavirus pandemic.
Sen. Smith., a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, who helped secure key improvements to the bipartisan agreement, including strengthened protections for workers and improved access to affordable medicines, also pushed to ensure it will open new markets for U.S. dairy exports and will end unfair Canadian milk pricing rules that hurt farmers in Minnesota and across the country. Beyond that, she also joined a bipartisan group of Senators in pressing Canada to open its markets to U.S. grain.
As the agreement is implemented, she said she will push Trump Administration trade officials to monitor the dairy provisions in the agreement to ensure Canada lives up to its commitments.
“I backed passage of this trade agreement, which passed with bipartisan support, because I expect it to lift up workers, businesses, farmers, and consumers,” said Sen. Smith. “Trade affects almost every aspect of Minnesota’s diverse economy. This agreement will provide important stability and market access for Minnesota agriculture, as well as for other Minnesota products. Now, I will push to ensure Canada and Mexico live up to their commitments so that the United States gets the full benefit of this agreement.”
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