Passage of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement is the top priority of the National Pork Producers Council, NPPC Vice President and Counsel, Global Government Affairs Nick Giordano told a packed briefing Thursday morning on Capitol Hill.

“Zero-tariff trade in North America has fueled the expansion of the U.S. pork industry and supported 16,000 U.S. jobs,” he said at the event for media and congressional staffers, hosted by Agri-Pulse. The NPPC is urging Congress to ratify the agreement before the end of this year, providing continued economic certainty and growth to all three North American countries. “Passage will demonstrate to our global trading partners, Congress and the administration that we can work together and implement trade deals. ... We are hopeful USMCA will be the first of many trade deals that the U.S. will negotiate in the coming years,” he added.

A USMCA agreement provides much-needed market certainty for U.S. pork producers, ensuring zero-duty market access to two of their largest export markets. U.S. Rep. Jim Costa (D-CA), chairman of the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Livestock and Foreign Agriculture, told the briefing he believes “we’re close to reaching an agreement” on the few remaining sticking points, including issues relating to labor, the environment and enforcement. “We’re not there yet, but we’re close,” he added.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) echoed similar remarks on Thursday, saying the chamber is close to ratifying the USMCA.

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