A statement from U.S. Grains Council (USGC) President and CEO Tom Sleight:

“As formal renegotiation discussions for the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) begin in Washington, the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) will be engaging closely to help achieve a conclusion that provides our members and our customers long-term certainty and creates a new platform for growth and integration of our regional feed and fuel industries.

“The Council has worked diligently for decades in both Canada and Mexico, building trusted relationships that are supported by strong policy in NAFTA. This agreement and the trade it has spurred have been critical to the growth of the U.S. feed grains industry. It is a foundational agreement in our global trade policy.

“Both farmers and negotiators must understand how important these markets – and free trade – are to agriculture’s profitability. We appreciate our government’s receptiveness in acknowledging that NAFTA is and will continue to be critical to our sector and hearing the improvements we would make to the 23-year-old pact. We look forward to these continued conversations as the trilateral negotiations evolve.”

Contact: Melissa Kessler, mkessler@grains.org, (202) 492-3433

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About the U.S. Grains Council

The U.S. Grains Council develops export markets for U.S. barley, corn, sorghum and related products including DDGS and ethanol. The Council believes exports are vital to global economic development and to U.S. agriculture’s profitability. Detailed information about the Council and its programs is online at www.grains.org.