policy issues

USMCA Related News

December 2, 2021
FeedGram Issue 39, Dec. 2, 2021
This issue includes: OSHA Extends COVID-19 ETS Comment Deadline, No Word on Implementation Dates H.R. 4996 to Receive Vote Will the Federal Government Remain Open Past Friday? USDA Climate Official Receives Senate Nod AAFCO Mid-year Meeting Approaching AFIA, Ag Partners, Offer Supply Chain Relief Recommendations to White House USADEC Meeting Gives Ag Trade Insight China Updates Facility Lists for US Feed Additives, Premix and Compound Feed Products Mexico Needs to Reconfirm Commitment to Ag Biotech AFIA Earns Two MarCom Awards Pet Food Labeling: To Be Human Grade or Not Human Grade?
July 29, 2021
FeedGram Issue 22, July 29, 2021
This issue includes: ASF Confirmed in Dominican Republic Your Advocacy Efforts Are Making a Difference for Label Claims, Ingredient Reviews Senate Advances INVEST in America Act Disaster Aid in the Works US Needs to Enforce USMCA's Biotech Rules With Mexico Meet With Your Members of Congress in August Changing CDC Guidance on Masks: What Does It Mean for Your Business? FDA Establishes Fee Rates for Next Fiscal Year Submit Input by Aug. 6 on Canada Feed Regulations UNFSS Pre-Summit Draws Mixed Feelings on Current Ag Practices Online Registration for PISC Ends Tomorrow! October AFIA/KSU-500 - Fundamentals of Feed Manufacturing Course Now Open
May 27, 2021
FeedGram Issue 13, May 27 2021
This issue includes: Ingredient Issues Raised in House Committee AFIA Board Members Advocate for the Industry Louisiana State Update FMCSA Extends Expanded Modified Emergency Declaration USDA Releases 90-Day Progress Report on Climate-Smart Agriculture and Forestry USMCA Leaders Meet USTR Initiates Dispute Settlement Panel Under USMCA China Eyes CPTPP Brazilians Hear Value of US Animal Feed Additives Liquid Feed Facilities ? Apply to FFY Now! Sponsor the PISC Suppliers Showcase
May 6, 2021
FeedGram Issue 10, May 6, 2021
This Issue Includes: FDA Site Inspections: During COVID and Beyond; USMCA Is Viewed as Partial Template; New York State Update; Vermont State Update; USDA Seeks Supply Chain Information; USDA Needs Your Sustainability Examples; President Targets Rural America in Vaccine Goal; Feed Industry Sees Big Win At Codex; IFIF Tackles AMR;
July 10, 2020
Washington Update
Work in Washington, D.C., is on hiatus as legislators left town last Friday for two weeks of legislative recess in recognition of Independence Day. The break comes on the heels of a busy week for trade, the economy and coronavirus response, and before a daunting legislative session anticipated later this month. As COVID-19 cases resurged ahead of the July Fourth holiday, the GOP-controlled Senate finally began laying the groundwork for a new relief and stimulus package in response to the pandemic.
July 10, 2020
AFIA Congratulates North American Leaders for Implementing Modernized Trade Agreement
The American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) joins organizations across the agriculture industry in commending North American leaders for ushering in and implementing the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which entered into force last week.
March 20, 2020
Canada Ratifies USMCA, Sending Agreement into Final Phase
Late last week in good news for the animal food industry, Canada ratified the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), maintaining the largest free trade area in the world. The northern country was the last country to ratify the trilateral trade agreement, sending it into its final implementation phase, which the American Feed Industry Association expects will begin in June.
February 7, 2020
AFIA Grateful for Secured Future with Animal Food Industry's Largest Trading Partners
The American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) thanks President Trump and his administration for their vision of a 21st century trade agreement and their persistence that culminated in President Trump's signing of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) today.
February 7, 2020
Washington Update
By all accounts, it has been a busy time in Washington. This week, we officially entered election season, President Donald Trump addressed Congress and the nation, we closed the chapter on impeachment and agricultural issues saw some solid progress.
January 24, 2020
USMCA is a Big Win for the U.S. Animal Food Industry
The American Feed Industry Association congratulates and thanks Congress on the long-awaited passage of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). The U.S. animal food manufacturing industry depends on the free-trade access it enjoys with Canada and Mexico, which has allowed exports of feed ingredients, feed and pet food to more than quadruple since the North American Free Trade Agreement's (NAFTA) implementation, growing from roughly $669 million in 1993 to over $3.2 billion today.
January 24, 2020
Election Year Could Bring Surprises, Small Victories
Last week in Washington proved to be a busy one as the American Feed Industry Association saw success on two major policy priorities, the signing of a phase one trade agreement with China and the Senate's passage of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Both agreements are critically important tools of foreign market access for the U.S. animal food industry, but equally important is the momentum they bring toward finally getting things done in a Congress that has been frustratingly gridlocked.
January 10, 2020
USMCA Inching Closer to the Finish Line
Congress returned this week to begin the second session of the 116th Congress. With the return of the House came a new sense of urgency over escalating tensions with Iran and with the Senate, a commitment to ratify the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) as soon as possible. Washington D.C. is feeling the pressure to complete outstanding legislative business, such as the North American agreement, before the election cycle frenzy begins with the Iowa Caucus early next month.
January 10, 2020
Urge Your Senators to Vote for USMCA
Just before the holiday break, the House of Representatives considered and widely adopted implementing legislation for the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). This week begins the Senate's opportunity to approve the pact. We are very close to the finish line of this critical agreement, but now is the time to remind the Senate that our industry is still waiting on this agreement to be finalized.
January 9, 2020
Urge Your Senators to Vote for USMCA
Just before the holiday break, the House of Representatives considered and widely adopted implementing legislation for the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). This week begins the Senate's opportunity to approve the pact. We are very close to the finish line of this critical agreement, but now is the time to remind the Senate that our industry is still waiting on this agreement to be finalized.
December 20, 2019
Big Moves on AFIA Priorities
The past few weeks in Washington have made big waves for agriculture and the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA). Though the House made history by voting to impeach the President this week and while these proceedings continued to capture the headlines and exhaust much of the political energy, significant progress was made on some priority issues for the animal food industry such as a win on appropriations for ingredient approvals, passage of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) by the House and the announcement of a phase-one trade agreement reached with China.
December 20, 2019
AFIA Applauds House Passage of USMCA
The American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) congratulates the bi-partisan passage of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) today by the U.S. House of Representatives.
December 6, 2019
Negotiations on Funding Holding AFIA Priorities Hostage
This week in Washington was another of slow progress for American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) priorities as Congress came back to work following the Thanksgiving holiday.
December 6, 2019
USMCA Needs Our Help
The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) preserves and builds on the critical trade relationships that the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) established nearly 25 years ago. As the number of legislative days left for Congress in 2019 quickly winds down, the agreement has never been closer to being ratified. Now is the time to apply pressure to Congress to finalize the agreement.
November 15, 2019
Impeachment Proceedings Take Center Stage, Progress on Legislative Priorities Slows
This week in Washington has been consumed by impeachment hearings, with the legislative process grinding to a halt. The hearings, which went public for the first time Wednesday morning, have stolen much of the oxygen from Capitol Hill, slowing progress on American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) legislative priorities.
November 1, 2019
Key AFIA Legislative Priorities Move Forward
This week, Washington progressed key American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) legislative priorities, despite the House leaving town yesterday for another week of recess.
October 18, 2019
ICYMI: This Weeks' Legislative and Regulatory Review
This week, the American Feed Industry Association held a webcast member update with the legislative and regulatory (L&R) team. It covered a number of topics, including African swine fever preparedness and response, learnings from recent Food Safety Modernization Act inspections, funding for new ingredients and the status on the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
October 4, 2019
Tune in to AFIA's Legislative and Regulatory Review Webinar
The American Feed Industry Association is hosting an exclusive webinar for AFIA members.
October 4, 2019
USMCA's Fate Among Impeachment Discussions
House Democrats are building the foundation to begin the impeachment process for President Trump after revelations from a whistleblower report implicated the president in strong-arming Ukraine into investigating a political opponent. While there is still much fact-finding to be done, the impeachment chatter continues to grow louder by the day.
September 20, 2019
USMCA Discussions Continue...But Time Is Running Out
The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) has been the talk of agriculture for the last year. Recent discussions between Congress and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) have focused on some key issues Democrats have with the agreement, including labor provisions, environmental concerns, prescription drugs, intellectual property and the total enforcement of the agreement's provisions.
September 6, 2019
Race to the Finish: Congress to Tackle USMCA, Approps and More this Fall
Congress returns on Sept. 9 and is bracing for a busy fall with lawmakers racing to complete a lengthy to-do list of legislative items before the holidays. As the elections approach, there is even more urgency for lawmakers to get big-ticket items out of the way.
July 11, 2019
USMCA to the Hill? Not So Fast
The New Democrat Coalition sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Bob Lighthizer warning him and the administration that submitting an implementation bill to Congress before addressing the Democratic Party's concerns with the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement would be a mistake.
July 11, 2019
Canadian Wheat Issue Resurfaces
Sens. Kevin Cramer and John Hoeven, R-N.D., Tina Smith, D-Minn., and Steve Daines, D-Mont., sent a letter to the U.S. Trade Representative requesting a solution to a grain trading issue with Canada.
June 27, 2019
Light at the End of the Tunnel for USMCA
According to Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, Congress should be able to ratify the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement by the end of the year.
June 13, 2019
AFIA International Trade Committee Meets at PISC
The American Feed Industry Association's International Trade Committee met on May 14 in conjunction with the Purchasing and Ingredient Suppliers Conference in Orlando, Fla.
June 12, 2019
A Letter from U.S. Food and Agriculture Associations and Companies
Letter addressed to House and Senate leadership urging swift ratification of USMCA from U.S. food and agriculture associations and companies.
May 31, 2019
ICYMI: This Weeks' Legislative and Regulatory Review
This week, the American Feed Industry Association held a webcast member update with the legislative and regulatory (L&R) team. It covered a number of topics, including African swine fever preparedness and response, a recap of state legislative activities, funding for new ingredients and the latest discussions on the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
May 30, 2019
US, Canada and Mexico Make Slow Progress on Passing USMCA
The White House took a step toward ratification of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) late Thursday by sending a draft statement to Congress that the pact could be coming soon. A "statement of administrative action" begins the 30-day window that must pass before the Trump administration is allowed to submit the full implementing legislation to Congress for consideration.
May 16, 2019
US and Canada Inch Closer to an Agreement
There are signs that the U.S. and Canada are getting closer to an agreement that could clear the way for the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) to go to Congress.
May 2, 2019
Two Steps Forward, One Step Backward on USMCA
On Monday, the Mexican Legislature approved new labor reform legislation as a part of its commitment to the U.S.?Mexico?Canada Agreement (USMCA). The reform is mandated in the USMCA and creates a space for workers to form their own unions and contracts over the next four years.
April 19, 2019
International Trade Commission Releases Report on USMCA
The United States International Trade Commission on April 18 released its assessment of the likely impact of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) if it is ratified and put into force. As anticipated, because the North American Free Trade Agreement already eliminated duties on most agriculture products, the report finds a modest increase in trade for the agriculture industries.
April 5, 2019
Closing the Mexico Border and the Future of USMCA
President Donald Trump eased off his threat earlier in the week to shut down the U.S.-Mexico border, instead giving Mexico a "one-year warning" and threatening to first impose auto tariffs before closing the border.
March 8, 2019
USDA Forum Discusses Ongoing Regulatory, Trade Barriers Facing Ag Community
From negotiating better trade deals to combating African swine fever (ASF) to instilling consumer confidence in the food supply, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's recent 95th Agricultural Outlook Forum tackled many hot topics facing agriculture industry leaders.
March 8, 2019
USMCA Debate Continues
The congressional debate over approval of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) could be the toughest Congress has ever had to deal with. Much of the concern for the USMCA vote stems from the new Members of Congress who have no voting history on free trade agreements.
February 8, 2019
Trump's State of the Union Address Focuses on Trade, Other Policy Issues
On Tuesday, President Donald Trump delivered his second State of the Union address, his first time to a divided Congress. Trump appealed to Congress and the nation for unity and bipartisanship, while pressing his case for new trade agreements, a desperately needed infrastructure package and better border security.
October 5, 2018
NAFTA Has a New Name: USMCA
Trade officials struck a deal late Sunday night for a three-way trade pact to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement, which includes significant changes to dairy import rules. The U.S. ? Mexico ? Canada Agreement (USMCA) preliminary deal marks a major step toward fulfilling one of President Donald Trump's signature campaign promises.