The current trade dispute with China has been the only trade topic big enough to overshadow the state of the NAFTA renegotiations, and both are nearing critical milestones. A new deal on NAFTA has to be ratified by Congress, which becomes more difficult as the congressional elections draw nearer. About a week ago, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said those talks would have to be wrapped up in about three weeks to ensure there is an opportunity for that ratification to be considered. More recently, U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross made a statement at the Council of America’s conference that sounded very much like a hedge that NAFTA may not be rewritten at all. The agreement that is very likely to be completed, though,...

TAGS – Livestock, Asia, China, North America