(AP) — Leaders of Indiana’s agriculture industry say President Donald Trump’s plan to either overhaul the North American Free Trade Agreement or withdraw the U.S. from the deal could be a dangerous blow to the state’s farmers.
The 1994 trade agreement between the U.S., Canada and Mexico has benefited American farmers who export corn and other products. But Trump has blamed the pact for a loss of U.S. manufacturing jobs. Director of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, Bruce Kettler, says 42 percent of Indiana’s nearly $1.5 billion in yearly agriculture exports goes to Canada and Mexico. NAFTA renegotiations among the countries’ trade officials began in August. The next round of talks is scheduled to begin Feb. 25.