Letter notes disastrous impacts of Biden administration’s trade policies on America’s agricultural producers
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined 20 Senate colleagues to urge Doug McKalip, President Biden’s nominee to be the United States Trade Representative’s (USTR) chief agricultural negotiator, to seek trade agreements that support American agricultural producers, noting the Biden administration’s disastrous trade policies that have weakened farmers and ranchers.
“It is therefore disappointing that not only has the Biden administration chosen to forego the pursuit of trade agreements of any kind which can provide enhanced market access for U.S. exporters, but in the case of U.S. dairy, the administration has failed to fully enforce existing trade agreements,” the senators wrote. “President Biden’s decision to put the U.S. agricultural industry on the backburner of his trade agenda disadvantages American farmers and ranchers while jeopardizing America’s strategic interests in the face of an emboldened and increasingly assertive China.”
A copy of the letter can be found here.
Other signers include U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR), ranking member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, and U.S. Senators Tim Scott (R-SC), John Cornyn (R-TX), John Thune (R-SD), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Ben Sasse (R-NE), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Steve Daines (R-MT), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), John Barrasso (R-WY), James Inhofe (R-OK), Richard Burr (R-NC), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS).
BACKGROUND
Agriculture, forestry, and related industries generate a $5.5 billion economic impact for Alabama, with one out of every 4.6 jobs in the state tied to agriculture and food production. Home to 43,000 farms, Alabama ranks second in the nation for both peanut and broiler chicken production, as well as third in the nation for timber acreage. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Alabama’s agricultural exports topped $1.3 billion in 2020.
As a member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, Senator Tuberville continues to advocate for Alabama’s farmers, foresters, and producers. Recently, he has:
- Stood up to the latest overreach attempt from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that would place unworkable climate disclosure regulations on farmers, ranchers and agriculture producers.
- Pushed for reduction of restrictive trade barriers to increase international access of our peanut exports.
- Urged the EPA to maintain an exemption of air emission from animal waste at farms under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA).
- Led the effort to permanently adopt Daylight Saving Time (DST).
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, and HELP Committees.
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