U.S. Rep. Tom Reed, R-Corning, said Wednesday that the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement has officially gone in to effect.

Reed served as a member of Republican leadership’s USMCA team and advocated for the agreement because of its benefits for 23rd Congressional District workers and farmers. The Problem Solvers Caucus, which Reed co-chairs, also contributed to the deal’s swift passage.

“Today marks an important milestone for our country and economy. After years of hard work, we are implementing a modernized free trade agreement with our Northern and Southern neighbors that creates fair market opportunities for American farmers, eliminates foreign governments’ unfair trading practices, and delivers relief to our domestic manufacturers,” Reed said. “We were proud to secure this deal because we care about critical industries like our dairy farmers, especially as they face new financial challenges because of COVID-19. Moving forward, we will continue to advocate for smart trading practices that hold our international partners accountable, deliver new economic opportunities, and create jobs for our communities.”

The trade agreement helped end Canada’s Class 6 and Class 7 milk policies, which will increase demand for American dairy as well as grape growers, wineries and the beverage industry by implementing non-discrimination and transparency commitments regarding the sale and distribution of wine and spirits. Manufacturers and businesses could benefit by updating trade agreements to reflect 21st-century economic issues like intellectual property rights and digital trade.