On Tuesday, Senator Chuck Grassley talked with members of Ag media. He discussed a whole range of topics. However, the one that seemed to weave through it all was trade. Whether it was trade with China, Japan, or the United States ? Mexico ? Canada Agreement (USMCA).
Starting with USMCA, Senator Grassley said there was plenty of time to get the deal done if it would just move in the House of Representatives. Grassley still feels confident Speaker Pelosi wants it to move.
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds and Ag Secretary Mike Naig are on a trade mission to Japan this week. With the partial Japanese agreement that was reached earlier, Grassley says there are great benefits for Iowa Agriculture. He talks about how the agreement compared to the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
Negotiations with China are ongoing with the hopes of a partial agreement to be signed soon. However, we are getting conflicting reports on whether the U.S. and China will reduce tariffs against each other. Grassley says he has gotten no updated briefings. Grassley doesn?t expect the tariff reduction to happen from either side until after the agreement is made.
Grassley seemed to be very optimistic that the trade pacts can all get across the finish line soon.
