Industry Stakeholders Create New Coalition to Advocate for NAFTA
A broad group of stakeholders in the food system joined together to create a new coalition to advocate for America’s involvement in free trade agreements, specifically the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
Stakeholders involved in the new organization, called Americans for Farmers and Families, range from the American Farm Bureau Federation to Walmart.
“Farm Belt voters supported President Trump by a three-to-one margin in the last election and they are counting on President Trump to improve NAFTA in the modernization negotiations,” said John Bode, president and CEO of the Corn Refiners Association and a member of AFF’s leadership committee. “It’s not an exaggeration to say many farmers are still farming today because of NAFTA. We know that President Trump has a lot of experience negotiating good deals. We support him in updating and improving NAFTA.”
In his speech at the American Farm Bureau Federation Convention, President Trump said that he plans to use NAFTA to help farmers and manufacturers do better.
“To level the playing field for our great American exporters, our farmers and ranchers, as well as our manufacturers, we're reviewing all of our trade agreements to make sure that they are fair and reciprocal,” he said. “On NAFTA, I am working very hard to get a better deal for our country and for our farmers and for our manufacturers. It's under negotiation as we speak. It's not the easiest negotiation, but we're going to make it fair for people again.”
Since being signed in 1994, NAFTA has been attributed to boosting the economy, creating jobs and helping Mexico and Canada become the United States’ largest trading partners.
Here’s a list of groups involved in the coalition:
- American Bakers Association
- American Farm Bureau Federation
- American Frozen Food Institute
- American Fruit and Vegetable Processors and Growers Coalition
- American Peanut Product Manufacturers, Inc.
- American Soybean Association
- Association of American Railroads
- Corn Refiners Association
- Distilled Spirits Council
- Food Marketing Institute
- Fresh Produce Association of the Americas
- Global Cold Chain Alliance
- Grocery Manufacturers Association
- Indiana Dairy Producers
- International Dairy Foods Association
- Midwest Food Products Association
- Missouri Rice Research and Merchandising Council
- National Association of State Departments of Agriculture
- National Corn Growers Association
- National Grain and Feed Association
- National Grocers Association
- National Milk Producers Federation
- National Oilseed Processors Association
- National Pork Producers Council
- National Renderers Association
- National Restaurant Association
- National Turkey Federation
- North American Millers Association
- Retail Industry Leaders Association
- SNAC International
- Sweetener Users Association
- Texas Rice Council
- The Hardwood Federation
- The National Association of Wheat Growers
- US Apple Association
- US Rice Producers Association
- USA Rice
- Walmart
- Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association
