Farmers and Ranchers are telling the Trump administration to focus on resolving trade disputes and gaining new markets for them rather than providing government payments. The USDA rolled out three programs this week to provide $12 billion to producers harmed by retaliatory tariffs. Minnesota Pork Producers President Greg Boerboom says having trade deals in place that allow U.S. agriculture to get their financing from exports is key.

He says while it sounds good that the USDA has made part of their package a program to pursue new trade deals, the new market opportunities for American pork is a bit limited.

Boerboom is encouraged that it appears negotiators may be getting closer to completing a remake of the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Boerboom says the remake of NAFTA is critical in that it represents two important pork customers of the U.S., Mexico and Canada.