Fair trade policies help workers, businesses, and farmers in Minnesota. But when other countries don’t abide by international trade rules and aren’t held accountable, our workers lose out on jobs. It’s why Tina supports fair trade, while making sure Minnesota producers are protected in trade agreements.
As Lt. Governor, Tina led a delegation of Minnesota’s farm leaders to Cuba to build relationships for possible future agricultural sales. And now as Senator, Tina continues to advocate for a trade relationship between Minnesota and Cuba. Senator Smith is a cosponsor of the Freedom to Export to Cuba Act, which would lift the current embargo on trade with Cuba. She believes that Cuba is a positive economic orbit for the United States and specifically Minnesota, given that the state and Cuba have very little overlap in the products they produce.
Tina fought hard to secure key improvements to NAFTA. Tina and Congressional Democrats forced the Trump Administration back to the bargaining table and secured key improvements to strengthen protections for workers’ rights and to eliminate giveaways to the largest drug companies that could have increased the cost of prescription drugs.
Tina has also fought against illegal trade practices by China, standing up for Minnesota’s iron and steel industry and manufacturers around the state when China’s subsidies and trade cheating has put Minnesota workers’ jobs at risk. In addition, she has stood up for Minnesota farmers and agriculture producers who have faced unfair trade barriers when trying to sell products to China.