The ongoing negotiations over the North American Trade Agreement (NAFTA) can have a positive outcome for U.S. farmers, but it’s up to other countries to step forward to secure a new agreement, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) top trade official said last week.

“NAFTA has been outstanding for U.S. agriculture, and I am a big believer in trade,” said Ted McKinney, USDA undersecretary of trade and foreign agricultural affairs. “Agreements like NAFTA do not need to be blown up, but it takes two or three parties to make them work.”

That sentiment ...