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Vilsack says Trump administration needs to complete NAFTA, other trade deals

The U.S. Dairy Export Council President and former Ag Secretary wants to see more trade progress from the Trump administration.

Tom Vilsack tells Brownfield the uncertainty about the future of North American Free Trade Agreement is not good for agriculture, and withdrawing from NAFTA would have a large negative impact on all of America.  “When you look at agriculture and food together as a single industry, it represents 20% of the U.S. economy and 28% of the entire employment base in the country, so when you start to potentially threaten market opportunities by pulling out of NAFTA resulting in higher tariffs on our agricultural goods, it’s going to impact and affect the economy and potentially jobs.”

Vilsack tells Brownfield the Trump administration needs to do more to enhance foreign trade.  “This is very difficult circumstance and the situation we find ourselves in, which is why the administration needs to conclude the NAFTA negotiations successfully and needs to begin focusing on the bilateral agreements that it promised when it pulled out of TPP.”

The U.S., Mexico, and Canada will be back at the bargaining table for a fifth time to renegotiate NAFTA early next year.