Feeding the World, Supporting U.S. Jobs

As Americans, we know our food is among the best quality, safest in the world, and arguably the very best.  We produce it from seed to stem, we consume it, and we export it far and wide.   Some U.S. trade partners make unfounded allegations about the safety of our food -- like raising an unfounded scare about beef -- but in private, their consumers want American products and know those items are safe.  A new government report out this week found that Chinese consumers typically view imported food as higher quality and safer than their domestically-produced food.

Meanwhile, as the Chinese people seek out imported food, the Chinese government imposes unfair burdens on those imports.  The new report I co-requested from the International Trade Commission found that while China is the largest market in the world for U.S. agricultural goods, U.S. exports to China are concentrated in just a few commodities, primarily soybeans and cotton.   The report found that China imposes non-tariff barriers that effectively prohibit imports of certain products, such as U.S. beef, and significantly restrict imports of other U.S. products, such as pork.  China’s restrictive policies also harm U.S. corn exports. The elimination of China’s tariffs and non-tariff barriers could result in an additional $3.9 billion to $5.2 billion in U.S. agricultural exports to China. 

China’s barriers on U.S. beef, pork, and other products are contrary to the commitments China made in joining the World Trade Organization.  In joining, the country committed to rules including the elimination of non-tariff trade barriers that have no basis in science and exist just to prop up a domestic industry at the exclusion of trade partners.  Consistent with World Trade Organization rules, U.S. producers should have full access to the Chinese market.  It’s China’s obligation as a member of the World Trade Organization to allow legitimate access.

I’ll continue to press China to abide by its trade commitments.  U.S. agricultural jobs are supported strongly by exports.  One-third of all acres planted in the United States are for export. Agricultural exports are one-fourth of farm cash receipts.  With 95 percent of the world’s consumers living outside the United States, many countries importing more food than they export, and rising demand driven by rapidly rising per capita income, the future is bright for American agriculture.  Trade partners have to hold up their end of the bargain.