Farmers for Free Trade, the bipartisan coalition supported by America’s leading ag commodity associations, announced today that the North American Meat Institute (NAMI) has joined the coalition. NAMI is a national trade association that represents companies that process 95 percent of red meat and 70 percent of turkey products in the US and their suppliers throughout America. NAMI’s announcement comes as Farmers for Free Trade continues to spearhead advocacy efforts to pass the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Farmers for Free Trade just completed the Motorcade for Trade, a 47 stop, over 20,000 mile tour of the country in support of USMCA.
“We are excited to join with Farmers for Free Trade to help knock down barriers to trade in meat and poultry products,” said NAMI President and CEO Julie Anna Potts. “The work they are doing across the country to amplify the voices of farmers and ranchers and mobilize support is being felt in Washington D.C. For example, the Motorcade for Trade supporting USMCA has shown how grassroots agricultural support can help motivate members of Congress to help provide trade opportunities for rural America.”
“We are so pleased to have NAMI, the leading voice of the meat industry, stand behind our effort to mobilize ag support for trade,” said Farmers for Free Trade Co-Executive Director Angela Hofmann. “The meat industry depends on long-term, sustainable export markets and that’s what we are fighting for every day. Together, we will continue to build support both inside and outside the beltway for trade policies that deliver for our farmers and ranchers.”
Farmers for Free Trade is now supported by leading ag commodity groups representing millions of American farmers and ranchers and billions in exports. In the coming months, as Congress considers USMCA, Farmers for Free Trade will continue to host local events and build their grassroots network of support for the agreement.
