Arizona farmers and ranchers need USMCA ratification

Written by: Jay Whetten, ACGA Immidiate Past Preseidnt

Tell Congress to Support Ag Exports to Canada and Mexico by signing onto this letter: https://p2a.co/ZnYyvWx

Agriculture is much more than a deep-rooted part of Arizona culture. We have 20,000 farms and ranches in Arizona that make up a 23.3-billion-dollar annual impact. Of this economic impact, 97% comes from a family-run or partnership farms and ranches. Arizona’s agriculture has grown from a couple billion-dollar business 25 years ago to what we have now because of sound trade policies. A lot of the economic success that Arizona has enjoyed is the result of exports to Mexico and Canada. In recent months Gov. Ducey has emphasized the economic importance United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) brings to Arizona.

USMCA modernizes and improves the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) while preserving the same duty-free, unrestricted access to Canada and Mexico that U.S. agriculture has benefited from over the last 25 years. Since the original NAFTA, worldwide exports went from $46 billion to $136 billion. NAFTA exports grew from $10 billion to $39.7 billion, almost a 300% increase!

Mexico’s Senate has ratified the USMCA. Canada appears to be well on its way to ratification. The United States is waiting to see if the anti-Trump bias kill the deal. Some positive discussions are coming from Washington that perhaps this fall it may be approved. NCBA’s staff and political personnel believe it will happen.

ACGA's stance is - this needs to happen this fall without fail, or Arizona agriculture will be economically hurt. Talk to your congressman, emphasize the importance of USMCA to Agriculture in Arizona. U.S. representatives and Senators need to act quickly, if they drag their feet, the 2020 election will be upon us, and nothing will get done.

Tell Congress to Support Ag Exports to Canada and Mexico by signing onto this letter: https://p2a.co/ZnYyvWx