The U.S. House of Representatives yesterday passed the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) on a vote of 385 to 41. It is expected the Senate will consider the trade legislation in early to mid-January.
USMCA will preserve duty-fee, unrestricted access to Canada and Mexico, which is worth roughly $1.8 billion in sales per year. U.S. beef exports to Mexico are valued at $1.06 billion, with those to Canada valued at $745 million. The agreement will continue to allow U.S. cattle and beef producers to capitalize on growing demand in lucrative markets in these two countries, and around the world.
"This is a crucial win for all U.S. beef producers and a reassurance that U.S. beef will continue to have duty-free access to Canada and Mexico," said NCBA President Jennifer Houston. "A big thank-you goes to the Trump administration and every lawmaker who voted to approve USMCA. Of course, there is still more work left to do, so I urge the Senate to swiftly pass USMCA and send it to the president's desk."
Passage of USMCA has been a top priority for NCBA, and through its coordination on the national level, along with the support of state affiliates, like KLA, the legislation now is one step further in the process. NCBA and KLA will continue to encourage complete passage of this legislation.