Source: Farmers For Free Trade news release
(Washington, D.C.) – A coalition of major agricultural organizations representing farmers across America sent a letter today to the U.S. Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party asking them to consider the negative impacts to farmers as they consider recommending that Congress repeal China’s Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) status.
“We respectfully urge this important committee not to recommend revoking China’s PNTR status. The negative consequences for American farmers, ranchers and food producers would be profound and the economic impact on American workers and rural communities would be felt for years,” the organizations write.
The letter points out that “China is now the largest buyer of U.S. food and agricultural products, purchasing 19% of our exports. These exports are critical to America’s farmers and rural communities.”
The letter also highlights lessons learned from the 2018 and 2019 tariff increases and the pain they inflicted on American farmers: “Those retaliatory tariffs led to a significant reduction in U.S. agricultural exports to retaliating partners with China accounting for approximately 95 percent of the losses ($25.7 billion). Rural states with significant agriculture economies like Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Indiana, Nebraska, and Missouri were hit the hardest.”
The letter was led by Farmers for Free Trade which counts many of the nation’s leading agricultural organizations as members including:
The Almond Alliance
American Soybean Association
Corn Refiners Association
The Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S.
Farmers for Free Trade
Iowa Soybeans Association
Leather and Hide Council of America
Meat Institute
National Corn Growers Association
National Council of Farmer Cooperatives
National Milk Producers Federation
National Sorghum Producers
Northwest Horticultural Council
U.S. Apple Association
U.S. Dairy Export Council
USA Poultry & Egg Export Council
