Commodity Classic offered many opportunities for agriculturalists.
Farmers not only took advantage of the opportunity to view new products and technologies, but also voiced concerns about much larger items.
United States agricultural producers continued to stress the importance of trade at Commodity Classic. Kevin Ross, first vice president of the National Corn Growers Association, says ?right now, it?s all about trade.?
?Everybody is concerned about issues surrounding trade. Hopefully we have some positive movement here,? Ross said. ?We have to get USMCA across the finish line, and then we can focus on other agreements moving forward. We have to move our Ag products.?
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo expects to see a finalized agreement by year end.
?Let me say this: I am confident that there are enough votes to get USMCA moved through the United States government. Without getting in the business of other sovereign nations? decision making process, I am confident that those countries will conclude this is their best outcome and move forward. I truly believe that,? Pompeo said. ?How we?ll handle these 232 tariffs remains to be seen.?
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue last week called for the removal of Section 232 tariffs imposed on Canada and Mexico. Secretary Perdue believes such tariffs are no longer necessary and burden the beneifts seen in the upgraded North American Free Trade Agreement, now called the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
?I assumed that the 232 tariffs would be resolved with the signing of the agreement. (When) Minister McCauley and Secretary Villalobos were in town, we all agreed that it?s in the best of interest of all three,? Perdue said.
