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Congressman raises trade concerns at Nebraska State Fair forum
A congressman from Nebraska expressed dissatisfaction with the Biden administration’s efforts to expand and increase trade.
Congressman Adrian Smith says the government has not reacted quickly enough to Mexico’s decree against genetically modified US corn.
“I think this is a blatant violation of the US-Mexico-Canada agreement,” he says. “Mexico agreed with the USMCA that it would accept genetically modified corn. That is the biggest difference for agriculture in the transition from NAFTA to what we have now as the USMCA. This delayed enforcement is a big problem. I hope we can get this over with quickly.”
He expressed to Brownfield his hope that trade opportunities with Kenya could soon be revisited, although he believed the government had decided against it.
“In fact, they have even rolled back everything related to tariffs, even though Kenya benefits from some tariff relief that we give them through other measures. This would be an opportunity for them to reduce their average, I think, 20 percent tariff on US products, particularly agricultural products. If we don’t take advantage of this opportunity, it’s a missed opportunity,” he says.
According to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, U.S. exports to Kenya totaled $604 million in 2022.
Smith says he wants to see more investment in trade in the farm bill.
“The farm bill has traditionally included some spending on trade promotion, for example FMD (for market development) and market access, so essentially promoting our products in other countries around the world,” he says. “That has been a modest spending for a long time. It has not been increased. I think we need to address that more effectively.”
Smith moderated a panel discussion on trade on Monday during a Federal Affairs Forum at the Nebraska State Fair hosted by Senator Pete Ricketts.
Photo 1: Congressman Adrian Smith (left) discusses the importance of trade for the United States with former FAO Ambassador Kip Tom (center) and former USTR Chief Agriculture Negotiator Gregg Doug (right)..
Photo 2: Senator Pete Ricketts (left) moderates a discussion about agribusiness and the federal government with KAAPA CEO Chuck Woodside (second from left), Buck Wehrbein of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (second from right) and Nebraska rancher Rusty Kemp (right).
Photo 3: Senator Pete Ricketts (left) moderates a discussion on environmental overregulation with former EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler (center) and Senator Shelley Moore-Capito of West Virginia (right).
