Corn Refiners Praise Bipartisan Agreement On USMCA

Following months of grassroots advocacy efforts, the Corn Refiners Association (CRA) today praised the bipartisan agreement announced between Congress and the Trump Administration to move forward with a vote and expected passage of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

 

“Today’s announced agreement on USMCA puts America one step closer to strengthening our farm and agriculture economy and securing vital market access for U.S. farmers, ranchers and agri-businesses,” said CRA President and CEO John Bode.  “With Mexico and Canada representing the two largest markets for refined corn products totaling more than $900 million in yearly exports, we urge Congress to swiftly pass this deal that is critical to the success of American businesses, farmers and workers.”

 

Once implemented, USMCA will secure existing market opportunities, provide enhanced market access for dairy, poultry and eggs; establish modern, science-based sanitary and phytosanitary standards that are the gold standard for future trade agreements; and simplify customs procedures.

 

As a member of the USMCA Coalition, which includes more than 200 companies and associations representing farmers and ranchers, manufacturers, service providers and technology companies, CRA has played a leading role in growing grassroots support for this important trade agreement. For example, CRA and other food industry leaders have promoted advocacy efforts among food and beverage industry workers that have resulted in nearly 14,000 letters to Congress urging USMCA ratification.

 

 

 

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.