A top Department of Agriculture official says farmers need a backup plan if the U.S. exits the North American Free Trade Agreement. Ted McKinney, USDA undersecretary for trade and foreign agricultural affairs, says agriculture needs a contingency because renegotiation talks aren’t going well and abandoning the trade agreement still seems to be a real possibility. This is a concern to South Dakota Senator John Thune. He hopes the U.S. doesn’t pull out of NAFTA.
Thune says it would be a mistake for the U.S. to withdraw from the deal.
Thune recently convened a meeting with Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross to discuss the ongoing renegotiation. He emphasized the significant harm any trade disruption would cause.
