ASTA Statement on U.S.-Mexico-Canada Tariffs Agreement

(May 17, 2019) ASTA President & CEO Andy LaVigne made the following statement regarding the Trump Administration’s announcement of an agreement on Section 232 steel tariffs with Canada and Mexico:

“Today’s announcement of a trilateral deal on steel and aluminum tariffs is great news for the seed industry, and agriculture at large. Seed is a global industry, with U.S. exports totaling $1.9 billion in 2018. Seed exports to the U.S.’ largest markets—Mexico and Canada—combined for a total of $630 million last year.

“The USMCA includes the seed industry’s core priorities for trade. Specifically, the agreement: provides stronger support for agricultural biotechnology and the trait approval process; recognizes the importance of evolving plant breeding methods like gene editing; strengthens science-based sanitary and phytosanitary regulations; and provides strong intellectual property protections, including adoption of UPOV 91 requirements.

“Given the agriculture industry is being hit hard from a number of directions right now, this action is absolutely essential so that Congress can now come together and pass this critical trade agreement for America’s farmers and our partners in Canada and Mexico.”