Iowa Farm Bureau President Craig Hill along with 79 ag and Iowa businesses have sent this letter to Iowa's congressional delegation urging swift passage of USMCA:
The Honorable Charles E. Grassley The Honorable Dave Loebsack
135 Hart Senate Office Building 1211 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510 Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable Joni Ernst The Honorable Cindy Axne
730 Hart Senate Office Building 330 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable Abby Finkenauer The Honorable Steve King
124 Cannon House Office Building 2210 Rayburn Office Building
Washington, DC 20515 Washington, DC 20515
September 9th, 2019
We, the 79 undersigned groups and businesses, are writing you in support of the United States-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement (USMCA). This trade deal is essential to Iowa farmers, businesses, and families and provides economic predictability that Iowa needs for the future. We encourage you to vote in favor of this agreement.
Over the last 25 years, U.S. food and agricultural exports to Canada and Mexico have more than quadrupled under NAFTA while supporting more than 900,000 American jobs in food and agriculture and related sectors of the economy. USMCA builds on the success of the NAFTA agreement, and will ultimately lead to freer markets and fairer trade. This new trade agreement not only locks in the market opportunities previously developed with our North American neighbors, but it also builds on those trade relationships in a number of key areas. Due to key reforms we expect to build on Mexico’s current profile of being an $18 billion market for U.S. ag products and increase access into the Canadian market. These advances help provide certainty in the North American market, which is essential to the success of American agriculture.
The USMCA is also beneficial for Iowa businesses. The International Trade Commission’s report, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement: Likely Impact on the U.S. Economy and Specific Industry Sectors, concludes that the agreement "would likely have a positive impact on all broad industry sectors within the U.S. economy", raising U.S. GDP by $68.2 billion.
In 2017, more than $6 billion of Iowa exports flowed into Canadian and Mexican markets, making the two countries Iowa’s top two trading partners. Additionally, the top Iowa export to Canada and Mexico during this time was machinery products representing more than $1.5 billion. As Iowa companies look to enhance manufacturing and business production in the state, USMCA will enhance their prospects at creating jobs and opportunities for Iowans.
The USMCA also accounts for critically important business aspects that were not adequately addressed under NAFTA. For example, the addition of a digital trade chapter within USMCA will allow for expanded growth in the digital economy for businesses of all sizes. It also provides the freedom to share data across borders while enhancing intellectual property protections.
Iowa businesses depend on free trade to create jobs, expand their business, and make investments in their home communities. This agreement will enhance all aspects of Iowa’s economy including agriculture, manufacturing, service industry, and the ever-expanding digital economy.
USMCA is good for Iowa’s farmers and businesses. We urge you to support this agreement, and work with Congress to pass USMCA now.
Sincerely,
Iowa Farm Bureau
Greater Des Moines Partnership
Iowa Association of Business and Industry
21st Century Rehab, P.C.
ADM
Agribusiness Association of Iowa
Amana Farms
Amana Society
America’s Cultivation Corridor
Ames Chamber of Commerce
Archer Coop Grain Company
Bank Iowa
Bankers Advertising Company
Bayer Crop Science
Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust
Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance
Champion Seeds
CHS
City of Indianola
City of Urbandale
Civco Medical Solutions
Collins Aerospace
Corteva Agriscience
Des Moines Area Metropolitan Planning Organization
Dunkerton Cooperative Elevator
Easterseals
Fareway Stores, Inc.
Farmers State Bank
Fertilizer Dealer Supply
First National Bank
General Mills
Green Plains Inc
Grimes Chamber & Economic Development
Growmark, Inc.
Gulick CPA
Hi Pro Foods of Iowa, Corp.
Hormel Foods
International Paper
Iowa Bankers Association
Iowa Biodiesel Board
Iowa Central Community College
Iowa Corn Growers Association
Iowa Falls Area Development Corporation
Iowa Institute for Cooperatives
Iowa Pork Producers Association
Iowa Poultry Association
Iowa Renewable Fuels Association
Iowa Select Farms
Iowa Soybean Association
Iowa State Dairy Association
Iowa Turkey Federation
John Deere
Kent Corporation
Kepros Physical Therapy and Performance
King's Material Inc.
Landus Co-Op
Legacy Manufacturing Co.
Magna
Marion Economic Development Corporation
Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce
Mayor Sara Kurovski, Pleasant Hill
Merchants Distribution Service
MercyOne
Point Builders
Professional Developers of Iowa
Renewable Energy Group, Inc.
River Valley Cooperative
Roquette
Select Genetics
Siouxland Energy Cooperative
SSAB Americas
Sukup Manufacturing Co.
Travel Federation of Iowa
Tyson Foods
U.S. Bank, Cedar Rapids Market
Vermeer Corp
West Liberty Foods
Wright County Board of Supervisors
Wright County Economic Development