Trade

By Sarah Gonzalez, Director of Communications and Digital Media The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) officially entered into force on July 1, after all three countries had taken the necessary measures to implement the agreement. In a statement issued that day, NGFA said the trade deal is “a model 21st century trade accord that will contribute to growing, robust North American trade and serve as a strong foundation for the next generation of trade agreements.” USMCA replaces the 26-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and its completion seals one of President ... Read More

The NGFA on June 16 joined more than 190 national and state agricultural organizations and companies in reiterating the importance of the U.S.-China Phase One Trade Agreement in a letter to President Trump. NGFA was responsible for generating nearly half of the signatories on the letter, which includes many NGFA Affiliated State and Regional Trade Associations and member companies. “As you know, the U.S.-China Phase One Trade Agreement is critical to both the near- and longer-term success and growth of American agriculture – and the millions of American jobs the agricultural sector ... Read More

By Sarah Gonzalez, Director of Communications and Digital Media After delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. and United Kingdom (UK) formally launched trade deal negotiations on May 5 in an effort to solidify a new partnership between the two economies as the UK exits the European Union. UK International Trade Secretary Liz Truss and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer held a video conference call Tuesday to begin a two-week round of negotiations, which will be conducted virtually in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Further rounds will be conducted roughly every ... Read More

By Sarah Gonzalez, Director of Communications and Digital Media U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer announced April 24 that the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) will enter into force on July 1, two years after signing by the three trade partners. The United States was the last country to certify that it has completed the required domestic procedures for the accord to go into effect. Mexico and Canada sent their notifications earlier this month. “The crisis and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrates that now, more than ever, the United States should strive to ... Read More

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced March 31 it will provide coverage for exports under sight letters of credit (LC) without refinancing under the Commodity Credit Corporation’s (CCC) Export Credit Guarantee Program (GSM-102). USDA said the coverage is in response to requests by U.S. stakeholders to increase flexibility in the program to support U.S. agricultural exports. GSM-102 Details from USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS): Typically, GSM-102 payment guarantees cover credit terms of up to 18 months, with repayment terms negotiated between the importer’s and exporter’s ... Read More

By Max Fisher, Vice President of Economics and Government Relations [A broad overview from a grain, feed and export perspective of the U.S.-China Phase One trade deal was included in the Jan. 17, 2020, edition of the NGFA Newsletter. Each week, the NGFA Newsletter is spotlighting individual components of the trade deal. This week’s focus is on China’s agricultural biotechnology approval process. View other “In Focus” articles on NGFA’s trade issues page.] As part of the U.S.-China Phase One trade agreement, the parties agreed to carry out exchanges and take steps to enhance engagement ... Read More

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) on March 24 announced the latest updates on implementation of the agriculture-related provisions of the U.S.-China Phase One Economic and Trade Agreement. Both countries signed a regionalization agreement that, in the event of a detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza or virulent Newcastle disease in a particular region of the United States, will allow U.S. poultry exports to China from unaffected regions of the country to continue (APHIS Regionalization Protocol Announcement).  ... Read More

The Canadian Parliament officially approved the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) on March 13, allowing the three countries to begin implementing the agreed-upon standards for trade. The Canadian Parliament ratified the USMCA before taking a five-week break in response to coronavirus concerns.  “Now that the USMCA has been approved by all three countries, an historic new chapter for North American trade has begun,” U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said in a press release.  “This landmark achievement would not be possible without President Trump’s leadership and ... Read More

China has started making policy changes and announcing tariff exclusions for imports of U.S. agricultural products as part of its commitments under the “Phase One” trade agreement with the United States, the Trump administration said in an update issued Feb. 25. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer issued a joint statement outlining ways China has begun implementing its agriculture-related commitments under the agreement, which entered into force on Feb. 14. Perdue and Lighthizer said China has taken the following actions: Lifting the ... Read More