House Agriculture Chairman Mike Conaway echoed comments made last week by Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, saying the negotiations on the North American Free Trade Agreement are not moving fast enough.
Conaway stated, “Perdue hit the nail on the head when he said we need to stop circling the ring in NAFTA negotiations and begin laying out concrete agriculture proposals.”
He made those comments ahead of a weekend trip to Canada to engage on agriculture issues in advance of the next round of NAFTA negotiations happening this week. Perdue spoke to the Washington International Trade Association last week, saying there is a “real opportunity” to open Canadian dairy markets. He said he has been somewhat disappointed in NAFTA rounds so far, but believes the next round will be an opportunity to bring up more-serious agricultural issues.