Farmers for Free Trade: Four outcomes we need with China

Farmers for Free Trade applauds the progress made with China this week, but cautions that much work exists. Brian Kuehl, Executive Director of Farmers for Free Trade, released the following statement on the framework the U.S. and China announced over the weekend as part of negotiations on avoiding additional tariffs. “The framework that the U.S. and China agreed to is an important first step in de-escalating trade tensions that have hurt the American heartland. We applaud the Administration’s focus on supporting U.S. ag exports in this framework, but note that there is still an enormous amount of work that must be done to take this agreement from concept to reality and to deliver certainty and stability to farmers and ranchers. Specifically, as the U.S. prepares to send Cabinet officials to China to iron out details of this agreement and as NAFTA negotiations continue, Farmers for Free Trade believes that Administration officials should focus on four outcomes that will help deliver for American agriculture. “First, U.S. officials need to address the non-tariff barriers that have always been a primary mechanism China uses to keep American agriculture exports lower than they should be. USTR’s own analysis has shown that China has long erected barriers to pork, poultry, beef and other commodities long after importation has been declared safe under international guidelines. We can’t meaningfully increase ag exports to China without addressing these barriers on which the Chinese have routinely refused to make meaningful progress. “Second, the U.S. needs to provide farmers with a clear strategy for also defusing tensions around steel and aluminum tariffs and NAFTA. That means answering the question of whether China will also drop the retaliatory tariffs impacting farmers right now on nuts, fruit, wine, pork and other ag exports that stem from steel and aluminum tariffs...MORE