TEXAS – There is no doubt that one of the most important issues pending in Congress is support for the U.S.-Mexico-Canada-Agreement (USMCA) and there is no agriculture product coming out of the U.S. that depends more on the Mexico export market than rice. The U.S. exports US$1.8 billion worth of rice each year to thriving international markets.
As the rice market struggles, it’s critical that Congress comes together in a bipartisan way and passes the USMCA to keep us viable. Farmers create jobs and drive economic growth, but the agricultural industry has suffered the most because of the uncertainty that is driving prices down and driving input costs up in all sectors.
Rice farming is not the only Texas industry that would be severely damaged by a devastating decision to leave NAFTA. We could lose $13 billion in exports that go from Texas to Mexico, and $3.3 billion in exports from here to Canada. That would be a 14 percent cut to our overall export market. Many other sectors, including manufacturing and small business, could see a loss of 154,000 jobs.
“Our Texas congressional delegation is large and influential. It has a proud history of working together to do what’s right for farmers and communities. We now call on those leaders to continue leading the fight for the USMCA.” highlighted a rice farmer from Lissie, Texas
Source: Houston Chronicle