News

Vilsack: USMCA will provide some stability for farmers

The head of the U.S. Dairy Export Council, former U.S. ag secretary Tom Vilsack, says Congressional approval of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) will provide stability to farmers and momentum for other trade deals.

“Having this agreement passed creates optimism, creates a hopefulness about the future,” Vilsack says, “which is incredibly important for agriculture and for the food industry, to have that optimism that things are going to be better.”

Vilsack says politics should be put aside when it comes to USMCA.

“This isn’t about giving President Trump a victory. It’s about giving the farmers in this room a victory,” Vilsack says. “It’s about giving all the people who are connected to the food and agriculture industry a victory. It’s about giving the American economy a victory.”

Kevin Studer with the Iowa Corn Growers Association agrees with Vilsack. Studer says farmers need a break.

“This spring has been a mess. We all know it. We’ve got to get this anxiety off the table,” Studer says. “Let’s clear the deck on USMCA. Let’s get our trade people to be able to focus on getting China done.”

Vilsack met with farmers and ag group officials this week in Des Moines. He says the USMCA preserves Mexico as a market for about 30 percent of all U.S. dairy products and will also open Canada to more U.S. dairy sales.

Radio Iowa contributed to this story.