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McKinney knows ag not happy about Mexico tariffs

USDA Under Secretary for Trade – from his trade mission in Colombia – says they know agriculture is not happy with Trump’s Mexico tariff threat, “Clearly, only a week or two prior the steel and aluminum tariffs had been lifted. So, just speaking honestly from what we’re hearing there has been disappointment.” But, Ted McKinney told reporters today people are empathetic about the immigration position Trump is in.

McKinney says his office HAS spoken with Mexico’s Agriculture Secretary Villalobos, “All we could do is encourage them that if there are things that they can do to help address their issues at the border and if those things are ones that we can help with in some way, we want to be the consummate friends that we are and try to get trade back normal.”

As for Colombia, McKinney says there is a lot of success from the U.S. Colombia Free Trade Agreement which represents a close balance of trade between the two countries. Minnesota Ag Director Thom Peterson is on the trip along with ag officials from five other states.