Letter
Dear Mr. President:
We write today respectfully urging you to expeditiously nominate a Chief Agricultural Negotiator in the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR). This position is critical to prioritize the needs of American agriculture amidst the ongoing reciprocal trade negotiations, and we are eager to coordinate and utilize this important role within the USTR’s office.
We are hopeful regarding the opportunities presented to secure market access in trade negotiations with countries around the world, which are at varying degrees of economic partnership with the United States. The tariff and nontariff barriers plaguing U.S. food and agricultural exports are vast and complicated, yet we remain encouraged that your Administration is prioritizing a historic amount of trade negotiations. We are also encouraged by your Administration’s willingness to address unfair trade practices that are distorting markets and creating supply chain vulnerabilities in the U.S. food system. To ensure that meaningful progress is made, we seek the nomination and confirmation of a Chief Agricultural Negotiator to prioritize agriculture issues at the negotiating table and to secure wins for rural America.
Farmers and ranchers are facing challenging economic conditions with low prices, high input costs, increased global competition, and languishing markets. As you know, U.S. farmers and ranchers heavily rely on exports to be successful, and the momentum generated by the ongoing reciprocal trade negotiations is promising. A Chief Agricultural Negotiator will optimize the United States’ position to prevent missing time-sensitive opportunities to reduce trade barriers, open new markets, and eradicate unfair trade practices. A strong advocate in this role helps to ensure that agricultural priorities are integrated early and consistently throughout the negotiation process and brings critical expertise in the full range of agricultural production, supply chain, and technical issues. Thus, this will lead to agreements that deliver real, tangible benefits for rural communities and the broader U.S. economy.
The Chief Agricultural Negotiator is an asset to farmers and ranchers across the United States as well as within the federal government. Their voice ensures that agriculture issues are prioritized as negotiations are ongoing and become more complicated. Having a dedicated political appointee focused entirely on agricultural trade issues will lead to more effective and productive negotiations, ultimately resulting in increased demand for high-quality American products. We appreciate your consideration of our request knowing you are attuned to the needs of rural America, especially our hard-working farmers and ranchers whose livelihoods are strengthened by these opportunities.
Sincerely,
National Corn Growers Association
Agricultural Retailers Association
Almond Alliance
American Farm Bureau Federation
American Seed Trade Association
American Soybean Association
Animal Health Institute
Association of Equipment Manufacturers
Corn Refiners Association
CropLife America
Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S.
Farmers for Free Trade
Fresh Produce Association of the Americas
Global Cold Chain Alliance
Independent Bakers Association
International Dairy Foods Association
International Fresh Produce Association
National Association of State Departments of Agriculture
National Association of Wheat Growers
National Cotton Council
National Council of Farmer Cooperatives
National Farmers Union
National Fisheries Institute
National Milk Producers Federation
National Oilseed Processors Association
National Pork Producers Council
National Sorghum Producers
National Turkey Federation
North American Export Grain Association
North American Millers’ Association
Northwest Horticultural Council
Sweetener Users Association
The Fertilizer Institute
The Hardwood Federation
U.S. Apple Association
U.S. Dairy Export Council
U.S. Grains Council
U.S. Pea & Lentil Trade Association
U.S. Rice Producers Association
U.S. Wheat Associates
USA Pulses
USA Rice
CC:
The Honorable Jamieson Greer, United States Trade Representative
The Honorable Brooke Rollins, Secretary of U.S. Department of Agriculture
The Honorable John Thune, Majority Leader, United States Senate
The Honorable Charles Schumer, Minority Leader, United States Senate
The Honorable Mike Crapo, Chairman, Senate Finance Committee
The Honorable Ron Wyden, Ranking Member, Senate Finance Committee
The Honorable John Boozman, Chairman, Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry
The Honorable Amy Klobuchar, Ranking Member, Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry
The Honorable Mike Johnson, Speaker, United States House of Representatives
The Honorable Hakeem Jeffries, Minority Leader, United States House of Representatives
The Honorable Jason Smith, Chairman, House Ways and Means Committee
The Honorable Richard Neal, Ranking Member, House Ways and Means Committee
The Honorable Glenn “GT” Thompson, Chairman, House Committee on Agriculture
The Honorable Angie Craig, Ranking Member, House Committee on Agriculture
