Senate Finance Committee Votes to Move USMCA Forward

WASHINGTON, DC – The new U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement (USMCA) is one step closer to reality as the Senate Finance Committee passed the bill on to the full-Senate Tuesday morning. The final vote was 25-3 on a deal that the U.S. Trade Representative says will enable food and agriculture to trade more fairly and to expand exports of American agricultural products. The update to the 25-year-old NAFTA agreement will expand market access for American dairy, poultry, and egg products; eliminate Canada’s Class 6 & 7 milk designation; create a mechanism for cooperation on new ag technologies like gene editing, and; ensure fair treatment in quality grading for U.S. wheat into Canada. Those voting against the new trade agreement were Senators’ Pat Toomey (PA-R), Bill Cassidy (LA-R) and Sheldon Whitehouse (RI-D). Senate consideration is expected before Valentine’s Day with a Presidential signature following approval by the upper chamber on a bill that cannot be amended.