Vilsack testifies on USMCA’s dairy benefits at U.S. Senate hearing

“Stand up for rural America and swiftly ratify this trade agreement.”   

USDEC President and CEO Tom Vilsack testified before the U.S. Senate Finance Committee today. His testimony supported swift ratification of the USMCA by Congress and stressed that food and agricultural exports are critical to America’s rural economy.

Secretary Vilsack was one of six expert witnesses called before the committee to testify about the benefits of the modernized USMCA for achieving more robust and fair trade among the United States, Mexico and Canada. The Secretary reiterated specific gains in the agreement for the U. S. dairy industry, including:

• A strengthened U.S. trade relationship with Mexico, the largest U.S. dairy export destination.
• Important advances in removing and reforming key trade-distorting Canadian dairy pricing policies—including Classes 6 and 7—and increased dairy access to Canada, a dairy market largely excluded from the current NAFTA framework.
• Strengthened safeguards for U.S. companies to use common food names through new commitments to intellectual property due process procedures and two side letters with Mexico that will preserve market access for many of those products.
• Strong sanitary and phytosanitary provisions focused on ensuring the highest scientific standards for food safety while discouraging unscientific barriers to safe food exports.

Secretary Vilsack’s written comments are included here. (Download PDF)

Read today's news release from USDEC.

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The U.S. Dairy Export Council fosters collaborative industry partnerships with processors, trading companies and others to enhance global demand for U.S. dairy products and ingredients. USDEC is primarily supported by Dairy Management Inc. through the dairy farmer checkoff. How to republish this post.