Non-Trade Policy
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson. Finance Committee Senators stepped up attacks on the White House’s trade policy, or some said, the lack thereof, especially in agriculture.
Finance Chair Ron Wyden and top panel Republican Mike Crapo (CRAY-po) launched criticism at Biden trade chief Katherine Tai on a lack of trade enforcement …
CRAPO … “Australia and New Zealand each negotiated free trade agreements with Thailand. And since then, demand for premium US beef fell by 30 percent because our cattlemen face a 50 percent tariff while those two partners face none.”
Senate Ag Chair Debbie Stabenow echoed a similar call for free trade deals …
STABENOW … “I know there are a number of agriculture stakeholders that sent you a letter earlier this week, urging you to commit to an aggressive agriculture trade agenda. It’s so important that we have those markets. We need those markets, and we need the trade agreements.”
In an exchange with Oklahoma’s James Lankford, Ambassador
Tai said they are working to score wins without having to do the long negotiations …
TAI-LANKFORD … “So, the short answer to be responsive to you is, no, we’re not doing the big, comprehensive agreements that are great for Ag and terrible for our industries. But, we are nevertheless securing wins, 21 billion dollars over the last three years.” Lankford “The challenge is when it’s not an FTA, there’s no certainty on it. And that executive agreements come and go with administrations.”
Tai once called FTAs an ‘outdated, 20th Century tool.’
