Vice President Pence Headed To F-M Area

He arrives late this morning at Hector International Airport and travels to the R & J Johnson Farms in Glyndon.

FARGO, N.D. (AP) _ Vice President Mike Pence plans two tour stops in Minnesota to talk about the stalled trade deal with Mexico and Canada.

He’s likely to hear differing opinions on part of the plan to replace NAFTA.

Pence is scheduled to begin his day Thursday at a farmstead 10 miles east of Fargo, where some agriculture leaders plan to ask about lifting steel and aluminum tariffs.

Farmers say the tariffs are hurting them and the chances of passing the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA,

He arrives late this morning at Hector International Airport and travels to the R & J Johnson Farms in Glyndon where he will tour the farm and talk to producers about how the the United States-Mexico-Canada trade agreement will benefit Minnesota.

It still needs congressional approve and Mexico has said the deal could fall apart if lawmakers don’t ratify it this year.

Pence’s visit at the farm is expected to last about an hour.

The Vice President’s last visit in the area was at the Grand Forks Air Force Base in July.

He was in Fargo to promote tax reform in March of last year.

Pence will then travel to St. Paul and a give a speech at Gerdau Ameristeel, one of the mills that the administration’s tariffs are meant to help.

U.S. Republican Rep. Pete Stauber, whose district includes the Minnesota Iron Range, says the USMCA does not pit farmers against steel workers.