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NCBA urges Congress to ratify USMCA in new campaign

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association has launched a campaign urging Congress to ratify the U.S. Mexico Canada Agreement.

Kent Bacus, director of international trade and market access with NCBA, says the agreement keeps the framework for trade with the two countries in place and provides the beef industry with certainty.     

“It does codify some of the sanitary and phytosanitary standards that are important to us and so we have continued access into these markets without any disruptions, especially non-science-based disruptions,” he says.

Mexico has already ratified the USMCA and Canada is making progress on the agreement, but U.S. House Democrats aren’t budging on changes they want made to the agreement before it’s ratified.

Bacus says there is support for the USMCA, but some democrats want labor and environment concerns to be addressed.  

“There are some specific changes there’re going to try to make or at least have some side agreements and commitments to have bipartisan support,” he says. “But we’ll see what happens, I think there’s still going to be a lot of pressure to try to get some movement before Congress adjourns for the August recess.”

Bacus says the longer the USMCA is delayed the harder it will be to ratify the agreement, especially during an election year.  

He urges farmers and ranchers to let elected officials know that a vote is needed as soon as possible.

Visit policy.ncba.org/usmca for more information about the campaign.

Audio: Kent Bacus, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association