Agricultural News
While Trump's Trade Rhetoric May Just be a Negotiation Tactic, We Can't Afford to Take a Chance
Mon, 13 Nov 2017 12:08:01 CST
Each week, it seems there is something new coming from the ongoing negotiations to reauthorize the North American Free Trade Agreement, that could change the direction of discussion, either for better or worse. The same is true about the US free trade agreement with South Korea, or KORUS. This of course injects uncertainty into the markets and adds to the agricultural industry's apprehension regarding trade. Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Associate Farm Director Carson Horn spoke with Colin Woodall of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association's Washington, DC office about his organization's concerns surrounding the President and his administration's trade agenda and how it may impact beef producers.
"We still have a lot of worries, especially in regards to (Trump's) continued thoughts or comments about pulling out of NAFTA and also KORUS," Woodall said. "Both of those have brought a tremendous amount of value to the US cattle industry."
Woodall says $47 in value can be attributed to each marketed animal from our access to Korea alone. He contends that a pullout from either of these agreements would have a major, negative impact on the bottom line of the US cattle industry. Fortunately, though, the US is still at the negotiating table with its NAFTA partners and Woodall is optimistic that our representatives will hopefully respect the industry's wish not to brought up in discussion and to simply allow beef trade to go unfettered under existing practices.
"We've asked for them not to bring up cattle and beef issues. They haven't yet," he said. "So, for us, it's going to be a matter of whether or not we stay in the agreement period. And, that's still up in the air."
Listen to Woodall and Horn discuss concerns held by NCBA relating to trade, with Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Farm Director Ron Hays, on today's Beef Buzz.
The Beef Buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Network and is a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR below for today's show and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today.
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