The fate of the North American Free Trade Agreement depends on U.S. tax reform and agriculture. That’s according to Former U.S. ambassador to Mexico Jim Jones, who told Politico that if tax reform passes, President Donald Trump will be “more interested in listening to reason” on NAFTA and other issues. Jones says: “Trump is less interested in substance than he is in political victories.” Following a decision on tax reform, Jones says agriculture groups will be critical in persuading the administration to stick with NAFTA, adding that pressure from farm groups will increase after the tax reform debate. He says that once tax reform is concluded, agriculture leadership would be “so outraged at the possibility of leaving NAFTA that there’s a good chance we’ll negotiate.” U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts have both said agricultural trade would be critical to ensuring a successful NAFTA agreement.

There was a time when agriculture companies wanted to expand, with a promise of new jobs in potential new communities as a big incentive. However, a community opposition movement that’s very well-organized may make the Tyson Foods effort to build a new plant there much more difficult. Ag Fax Dot Com says Tyson canceled plans to build its first new facility in the U.S. in 20 years near Tonganoxie (tahn-geh-knocks’-ee). Tyson recently announced three new communities as finalists for the new facility. The finalists include Cloud and Montgomery counties, as well as the Greater Wichita region. Groups are still actively pushing back against Tyson. Don Stull, a retired professor from the University of Kansas, claims to have studied the impact of packing houses on communities since 1986. He feels people don’t really know about the issues in poultry production. Stull says some of the issues raised include Tyson’s environmental record and the harsh working conditions that come with these jobs. Tyson says the poultry complex in Kansas is on hold while they evaluate options, including looking at other states.

The Environmental Protection Agency released guidance to help farmers report the release of hazardous air emissions from animal waste at their farms. Pork Business Dot Com says the EPA made the information available to aid farmers in preparing for the reporting deadline, which is November 15. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt says his agency is working on addressing the undue regulatory burden on American farmers. “While we examine our options regarding reporting requirements for emissions from animal waste,” Pruitt says, “the guidance is intended to help farmers with current requirements.” It was back on April 11 that the D.C. Circuit Court vacated the rule that gave farmers exemptions from reporting air releases of hazardous materials from animal waste. Unless the Court allows further delays, all farms that have hazardous releases into the air from animal waste equal to, or greater than, the minimum reportable quantities of those materials in the same 24-hour period, must report those releases. The EPA guidance information, available on its website, includes resources to help farmers calculate emissions from each species of livestock.

The National Farmers’ Organization took its turn to weigh in on the North American Free Trade Agreement negotiations. The Hagstrom Report says the NFO called on the Trump Administration to be “cautious” when it comes to the negotiations, noting that there would be substantial fallout for American farmers and ranchers if the agreement is terminated. Paul Olson, NFO President, says, “Canada and Mexico are two of the largest export markets for U.S. agriculture products, quadrupling since NAFTA began in 1994.” Olson stressed that revoking the agreement would be disastrous for commodity prices here in America. Mexico and Canada make up a significant share of American agricultural sales in commodities like corn, wheat, sorghum, red meat, and dairy products. Olson said National Farmers has long advocated for supply management in the U.S. However, he says farmers continue to produce more than the domestic market can use. Terminating NAFTA would not be good for the country’s job market, either. “Agriculture is not an isolated industry, either,” Olson says, “because our American farmers create jobs for others.”