Trade Deals for Ag
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson. Details are sketchy, but the broad outlines of recent U.S. trade deals show promise for U.S. farm exports and some unexpected gains.
From Japan to the EU and the UK to Australia, American agriculture stands to benefit from new market openings denied for decades.
And to longtime Senator Chuck Grassley, that’s surprising …
GRASSLEY … “I never thought I’d see the day that we’d get rice into Japan or beef into Australia, or I guess, we’re supposed to have some, it’s not very clear, but even with Europe.”
The EU has kept out U.S. farm goods with tariff and non-tariff regulatory barriers for decades, while Australia, despite having a free trade deal with the U.S., has largely kept out American beef.
Grassley says there’s now a chance to change that.
Separately, Grassley had this on USDA’s reorganization plans …
GRASSLEY … “I don’t find fault with that. I don’t think it’s as big of a deal with agriculture as it might be with other departments, because most every county in the United States has an FSA office where farmers or where USDA is already close to the farmers.”
USDA announced it will relocate a majority of its D.C. workforce to five areas, including Salt Lake City, Utah; Fort Collins, Colorado; Indianapolis, Indiana; Kansas City, Missouri; and Raleigh, North Carolina.
