Tariff Confusion and Cattle Trade Priorities
From the Ag Information Network, this is your Agribusiness Update.
**President Trump’s on-again-off-again tariffs on the United States’ biggest trading partners has caused confusion for agricultural exporters.
Matthew Viohl, federal agency director at the California Farm Bureau, says he thinks the confusion continues since there are so many moving pieces.
Jim Geller, president of Geller International in San Mateo County, says he’s worried about how and what he’ll be able to ship this year to Hong Kong, one of his main markets.
**National Cattlemen’s Beef Association member Robby Kirkland testified before the House Ways and Means Committee about the association’s trade priorities.
At the hearing, he highlighted the benefits of past trade agreements for U.S. cattle producers and the need for greater access to foreign markets.
Kirkland says unfortunately, the previous administration stepped back from market access negotiations while our competitors negotiated robust trade agreements and gained advantages in overseas markets.
**Groups like the National Corn Growers Association are asking the Trump administration to grant exemptions on bulk shipments for America’s commodity groups as it considers implementing fees on Chinese vessels.
The goal is to level the playing field between U.S. and Chinese shipbuilders.
The group wants the exemptions in place until U.S. ship production can meet the requirements to keep U.S. agriculture competitive in the global market.
