US Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue stopped by the Lake Panorama National Resort and Conference Center in Panora for a luncheon Thursday afternoon. Perdue, along with U.S. Congressman David Young enjoyed a meal with area Ducks Unlimited members after touring conservation sites within the Raccoon River Watershed.

The central topic currently surrounding the US Department of Agriculture is continental trade. Perdue commented on the progress of trade developments with Canada and Mexico, specifically how Canada fits into the proposed revision to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

“It’s possible that you can have a relationship and an agreement with Mexico, without Canada. The goal is to have all of North America restored in a true NAFTA and we’re optimistic that that can happen. Canada has been very intransigent in coming to the table and I think they finally realize that we’re serious regarding their dairy quotas and their dairy tariffs that don’t allow our access in their markets where we’ve had access for them. You’ve got a few other irritants there but by and large for U.S. agriculture we need NAFTA restored.”

Perdue hopes these developments will create a domino effect to improve trade relations with the European Union, Japan, and even China. He’s hoping a revised Trans Pacific Partnership could include Canada, Mexico, and other nations as well.