March 31, 2022

 

AFBF: US President's trade agenda must include Indo-Pacific agreement

 

The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) is calling on the US President's Joe Biden's administration to use the proposed Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) to grow US agriculture exports to the region.

 

The AFBF submitted a statement to the House Ways and Means Committee hearing, "Biden Administration's 2022 Trade Policy Agenda" on March 30 and the following day's Senate Finance Committee hearing, "The President's 2022 Trade Policy Agenda."

 

US farmers and ranchers rely on export markets for more than 20% of agricultural production. While IPEF is a strong start toward improving relationships and reaching new agreements with the region's countries, it should also include a strategy of creating binding commitments and improving market access for agriculture through reduced tariffs, the AFBF said.

 

"Trade is critically important to the current prosperity of US  farmers and ranchers," said AFBF president Zippy Duvall. "American agriculture depends on growing and stable export markets for the success of their business.

 

"We need a continuing focus by the administration on removing trade barriers to our agricultural products and expanding market access to American goods throughout the world, especially in the Indo-Pacific region."

 

AFBF also encourages the Biden administration to:

 

    - Build on relationships with China that were strengthened by the US-China Phase One agreement;

 

    - Resume trade negotiations between the United States and United Kingdom to resolve non-science-based barriers to agricultural exports;

 

    - Work toward increased transparency in the World Trade Organization through an improved notification process.

 

As the US Congress considers discussions with current and future trading partners, the AFBF urges lawmakers to consider how to most effectively expand agricultural exports to benefit US farmers and ranchers.

 

- AFBF