U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, pushed the administration to take a series of actions that will help family farmers and ranchers.
First, Sen. Fischer joined 18 of her colleagues in a letter to Doug McKalip, President Biden’s nominee to be the United States Trade Representative’s (USTR) chief agricultural negotiator. In their letter, the senators noted the Biden administration’s disastrous trade policies that have weakened America’s farmers and ranchers and urged McKalip, if confirmed, to seek trade agreements that support U.S. producers.
“It is … 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. 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,” the senators wrote.
They continued, “In light of these concerns, if confirmed, we request your commitment to working to enforce, enhance and grow market access as part of trade negotiations in order to promote U.S. agricultural exports which will be critical to achieving much-needed economic recovery.”
Sens. Scott (R-S.C.) and Boozman (R-Ark.) led the letter, which can be found here.
Sen. Fischer also joined 28 of her colleagues in a bicameral letter to President Biden demanding that his administration waive import duties on fertilizer from Morocco and Trinidad and Tobago.
“The bottom line is that fertilizer is critical to national security and national defense. Its affordability is also critical to wrangling out-of-control inflation. As such, we strongly encourage you to take immediate action to waive duties on fertilizer imports from Morocco and Trinidad and Tobago,” the senators wrote.
Sen. Marshall (R-KS.) led the letter.
Record inflation and the war in Ukraine have disrupted the stability of the fertilize trade. In June, Sen. Fischer joined a letter urging U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai to develop and execute a strategic plan for securing the United States’ long-term fertilizer needs.
In May, Sen. Fischer pushed Agriculture Secretary Vilsack on U.S. agriculture exports to Mexico. Secretary Vilsack committed to Senator Fischer that he would work with our trading partners in Mexico to provide certainty and market access for Nebraska corn producers.