Apple wars

Jim Bair, President and CEO at USApple, says the farming community needs the Biden Administration to reverse the tariffs imposed on China by the Trump Administration, but right now there is no interest in doing so.

He says exports of Washington apples have dropped considerably over recent years, thanks to the 50 percent price increase currently imposed by China.

He noted what had been a bright spot for American apple growers has really fallen off thanks to the trade war initiated by the previous Administration.

“We had hopes that the new Administration was going to come in an undo those tariffs, and to the contrary they are getting a lot of push from influential organizations and labor unions and others to not only maintain the tariffs but even expand them, and that would be absolutely the wrong thing for U.S. agriculture.”

 

Bair added recent comments from Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack and USTR Katherine Tai indicate nothing will change in D.C. anytime soon.

“This Administration is not looking to change the trade disputes, the tariffs with China currently, even though they’re getting a lot of advice from U.S. agriculture to enter new trade deals, but that’s not going to happen anytime soon. USApple has been meeting with Biden Administration since just after the election, and we’ve been making that case over and over again and I have to tell you, it’s tough sledding.”

 

Bair added it’s a bleak picture, and he would like to see someone take up the battle and fight for U.S. Agriculture, because as he put it the pain is being felt across all commodities.