McKinney talks USMCA?s importance and future

by | May 15, 2019 | 5 Ag Stories, News

When you sit down with USDA Undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Affairs Ted McKinney, you can imagine what topics are coming up. Trade is a hot button issue right now. We seem to be doing battle on three fronts with China, the United States ? Mexico ? Canada Agreement (USMCA), and the European Union. We also are negotiating with Japan. There is a lot to talk about.

There have been questions on whether any changes would have to be made to the USMCA pact to get it through our legislature. Undersecretary McKinney says there isn?t much which can be changed this late in the game.

McKinney says the concerns being raised need to be talked about, regardless if anything can be changed in the short-term. He says concerns need to be assuaged because every vote counts.

McKinney also said if USMCA were to get ratified, it would send a powerful signal the United States is successful on their trade negotiations.

However, McKinney said if he could get China done and send the same message, he would take that too.