Last week, the National Potato Council (NPC) joined with over 950 farm groups and agricultural organizations in a letter urging Congress to immediately ratify the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
“Canada and Mexico are two of our top three largest export markets.Passing the USMCA is essential in building on the success of the NAFTA agreement and enhancing the American jobs provided by the potato industry,” said Jared Balcom, of Balcom & Moe, Inc. in Pasco, Wash.
Under NAFTA, U.S. agricultural exports to Canada and Mexico have more than quadrupled in the last 25 years. Canada is the second-largest export market with over $300 million in sales annually. Mexico is the third-largest export market for U.S. potatoes comprising over $250 million annually.
“The successful implementation of the USMCA will send a strong signal to the rest of the world that valuable new trade agreements with the U.S. are possible,” said NPC CEO Kam Quarles.
The National Potato Council represents the interests of U.S. potato growers on federal legislative, regulatory, environmental and trade issues. The value of U.S. potato production is over $3.7 billion annually and supports hundreds of thousands of jobs both directly and indirectly.
