Rep. Smith: NAFTA faces 'bumpy' road in coming months

The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) faces a rocky road as the Trump administration looks to make major changes to the agreement, U.S. Rep. Jason Smith said Wednesday.

The 8th District congressman, who represents Southeast Missouri, said the region benefits from the trade agreement with Canada and Mexico in terms of agricultural exports.

Smith said he doesn't want the United States to walk away from the trade agreement, which has aided the district's agricultural economy.

NAFTA supporters have said the agreement has led to cheaper prices for various products, including automobiles.

But President Donald Trump has been a vocal critic of NAFTA, the three-nation agreement.

The United States is in negotiations with Canada and Mexico over the Trump administration's demands for major changes to NAFTA. Those changes include amending the rules of origin to require more of the products traded come from the U.S. and North America.

Trump has vowed to terminate the agreement if changes are not made.

"I think it could get very bumpy over the next couple of months," said Smith, R-Salem, Missouri.

Smith said during a visit to Cape Girardeau that he is "concerned" when agricultural exports are restricted as "a punishment tool" in trade negotiations.

Trump has vowed to recover factory jobs and boost wages by crafting new trade deals to reduce the trade deficit.

When NAFTA went into effect in 1994, the United States ran a small trade surplus in goods with Mexico and a slight deficit with Canada, according to The Associated Press.

Since then, there has a growing trade deficit. By last year, the United States ran a $64 billion trade deficit with Mexico and a nearly $11 billion deficit with Canada, The Associated Press reported.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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