CPA supports reforming trade policy to enable the creation of an agro-industry strategy that increases the prosperity of those producing food and fiber across America.
Trade agreements and World Trade Organization rules have prevented the United States from adopting a domestic agro-industry strategy that helps increase prosperity and prices for farmers and ranchers. Excessive growth of imports in the produce, seafood and meat sectors have impoverished rural communities which rely heavily upon agricultural production. Pursuit of export market opportunities in row crops and grains has benefitted multinational traders but not increased prices or farm income.
CPA supports reforming trade policy to enable the creation of an agro-industry strategy that increases the prosperity of those producing food and fiber across America as well as their communities. Prices and net farm income should be the measures of success rather than volume of cross border trade.
The Senate Finance Committee agrees on two things: First, the U.S. Mexico and Canada Agreement (USMCA) isn’t perfect and a number of issues need fixing. Second, they don’t want tariffs.
The Commerce Department should look to 7 C.F.R. Part 6 as a terrific example of how USDA has ensured that quota allocation benefits domestic manufacturers, not speculators.
If Argentina imports aren’t lowering supermarket beef prices, perhaps an investigation into the cartelization of the big, globalist meat packers will finally have an impact?
CPA’s submission, “Ensuring U.S. Sovereignty in North American Trade,” concludes that the current trilateral USMCA framework binds two vastly different economies to one unenforceable system—with each reliant on the far larger U.S. consumer market.
KEY POINTS Beef prices are at record highs—not because of U.S. ranchers or tariffs, but because dependence on foreign imports and meatpacker consolidation have distorted
This month’s tariff agreements with the United Kingdom and China might end up being the first deal of its kind, and the last. On Friday, President Trump reiterated that the administration could not possibly strike deals with every country, and that tariff announcements would be made over the next two to three weeks.
