It’s Fun To Sing About U-S-M-C-A
Young man, there’s no need to feel down… about USMCA.
Why? Missouri Farm Bureau found a fun, new way to grab the attention of media and Congress. In a spoof on the ‘70s hit, “YMCA,” the group pleads with U.S. leaders to pass USMCA and give farmers access to critical markets.
USMCA—the U.S., Mexico and Canada Agreement—is the deal that will replace the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and is yet to be signed by Congress. Early in the renegotiation process, President Trump placed steel and aluminum tariffs on Canada, a burden to many in the agricultural and manufacturing industries.
Removing tariffs and ratifying USMCA is incredibly important for agriculture, according to Ken Isley, administrator of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service.
“[The agreement] is incredibly important for agriculture, $80 billion worth of ag products flow between the three countries. They are two of our top three markets every year. So we're anxious to get that finalized and implemented to restore our position,” he told Clinton Griffiths in an AgDay interview earlier this year. “We also understand the impact of the 232 tariffs and the retaliation from those countries on our exports. So, we'll see how that evolves in terms of whether those tariffs could be lifted based on negotiation.”
While farmers wait to hear the results of a vote—which is yet to happen—political leaders have in the past expressed urgency to get the deal done. Leaders hope to see a positive vote by the end of the summer to lessen the burden on farmers and business people.
