AGRICULTURE/NAFTA/TRADE DEALS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump told a gathering of farmers Monday [1-8-18] that he is seeking a better trade deal with Canada and Mexico that will benefit both the agricultural industry and manufacturing, but he didn’t reiterate previous warnings on withdrawing from the North American Free Trade Agreement…
Mr. Trump has said he would pull the U.S. out of Nafta if Canada and Mexico don’t agree to a major rewrite of the 24-year-old deal. U.S. officials have proposed new language designed to reduce the overall U.S. trade deficit with its partners, and negotiators from all three countries will gather next round of Nafta talks begins later this month in Montreal.
The president’s remarks on Nafta have worried producers of major U.S. crops and meat who generally enjoy duty-free access to Mexican and Canadian markets under the pact. In addition, major farm groups are worried that a focus on bolstering U.S. manufacturing in the negotiations could put U.S. agriculture in the back seat.”
-William Maudlin, “Trump Tells Farmers He Wants a Better Nafta,” The Wall Street Journal online, Jan. 8, 2018 09:56pm