A group of senators led by U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID), ranking member on the U.S. Senate Finance Committee are urging Biden Administration officials to increase U.S. agricultural exports and improve the competitiveness of U.S. products abroad.
“We expect trade to fluctuate in response to macroeconomic factors and market conditions. However, the current sharp decline in U.S. agricultural exports is directly attributable to and exacerbated by an unambitious U.S. trade strategy that is failing to meaningfully expand market access or reduce tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade. While the Biden administration continually refuses to pursue traditional free trade agreements, China, Canada, the European Union, the United Kingdom, and others continue to ink trade pacts that diminish American export opportunities and global economic influence,” the senators wrote to U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai and U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.
Along with Crapo, the letter was signed by Sens. John Thune (R-SD), John Boozman (R-AR), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Ted Budd (R-NC), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Steve Daines (R-MT), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), John Hoeven (R-ND), Ron Johnson (R-WI), James Lankford (R-OK), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Jim Risch (R-ID), Mike Rounds, (R-SD), Tim Scott (R-SC), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), and Todd Young (R-IN).
The senators asked the Biden officials to provide answers to two questions: What specific actions the Biden administration plans to take to increase U.S. agricultural exports in 2024, and whether the Biden administration intends to pursue new or improved free trade agreements with any countries to obtain new market access for agricultural products in 2024.