Source: POLITICO'S MORNING AGRICULTURE, 8/16/18

It's been officially one year since trade officials from the U.S, Mexico and Canada first convened in Washington to reopen NAFTA talks. Although the U.S. vowed it would take only a matter of months, it's only recently that signs have emerged that negotiators are nearing a revamped agreement — at least between the U.S. and Mexico.

Representatives from the two countries are continuing talks today for the fourth straight week. And final trade-offs are being lined up to reach a deal, POLITICO has learned.

The nearing conclusion on NAFTA offers a glimmer of hope for American farmers and business owners who are feeling the weight of retaliatory tariffs and depressed prices as a result of a glut in many goods.

Bad news for Florida growers? The U.S. is preparing to give up a controversial proposal that would allow for American fruit and vegetable growers to use seasonal and regional data to make the case that Mexico is selling produce at unfairly low prices during parts of the year. In exchange, Mexico would have to accept the U.S.' demands on autos, according to two sources with knowledge of the trade-off.

The seasonal produce proposal has been largely backed by Florida lawmakers, such as Sens. Marco Rubio and Bill Nelson, who argue that NAFTA has been a success at expanding other region's agricultural exports at the expense of Florida growers.

Big sticking points remain: Significant portions of the negotiation remain unresolved — chiefly the so-called sunset clause, though there are others. The biggest outstanding issue is how long it takes before Canada will be brought back into the fold.

However, both the U.S. and Mexico are likely to keep talks moving. The political situation in both countries is such that each is more eager than ever to make a deal, setting up a scenario in which a major breakthrough could be on the near horizon.

All about the timing: For Mexico, the pressure has built as negotiators are pushing to wrap up a deal under the current Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto's administration, which ends on Dec. 1. On the U.S. side, reaching even a bare-bones agreement before November midterms would offer President Donald Trump a political victory to tout in farm states on the campaign trail, placate free-trade Republicans and bring some relief to consumers who rely on two of the U.S.' biggest trading partners.

The China connection: Wrapping up NAFTA would also allow U.S. trade officials to cross off a major to-do list on their agenda and dedicate more time to tackling what has been regarded as just the beginning of a protracted trade war with China.

"We're settling in for the long haul with China, so we really need to release the pressure in our backyard," said Dan Ujczo, an international trade lawyer who specializes in Canada-U.S. matters. "I think that's a driving force for the U.S.'s desire to get a deal right now."