WASHINGTON — Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa today joined a bipartisan group of 39 senators in a letter to President Donald Trump asking him to prioritize reopening China’s market to U.S. beef in his discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping this week. 

“Opening this market to U.S. producers would create substantial opportunities for farmers and ranchers across the country as China has an import market in excess of $2.5 billion and is the second largest importer of beef in the world,” the senators wrote. “The current environment of low commodity prices further emphasizes the significance of trade to U.S. farmers and ranchers and the beef industry overall.”  
 
The senators also underscored the quality of U.S. beef and the importance of expanding trade opportunities to increase economic opportunity for farmers and ranchers.
 
“We are confident that given a level-playing field, U.S. farmers and ranchers can compete successfully and increase exports in any foreign market,” the senators continued.
 
Grassley, a member of the Agriculture Committee and former chairman of the Finance Committee, with jurisdiction over international trade, fights for access to new and existing markets for Iowa commodities and U.S. products in general.  He works to make sure any exclusions of U.S. agricultural products from foreign markets over stated safety concerns are based on sound science, not political science.

The signed version of the senators’ letter is available here.  The text is below.

April 5, 2017
 
The Honorable Donald J. Trump
President of the United States
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20500
 
Dear Mr. President:
 
We write in advance of your upcoming summit with President Xi Jinping and urge you to raise the critical issue of U.S. beef being denied access to China’s market since 2003. We request that you prioritize reaching an agreement that reopens China’s market to U.S. beef during your meetings with President Xi and direct all relevant federal agencies to do the same.  
 
As you know, China lifted its ban on U.S. beef last September, but technical barriers remain and U.S. beef has yet to gain access to the Chinese market. Opening this market to U.S. producers would create substantial opportunities for farmers and ranchers across the country as China has an import market in excess of $2.5 billion and is the second largest importer of beef in the world.  As 95% of the world’s consumers live outside of the U.S., expanding access for U.S. beef into China and elsewhere is critical for the long-term growth of the agricultural economy and communities across the U.S. The current environment of low commodity prices further emphasizes the significance of trade to U.S. farmers and ranchers and the beef industry overall.  
 
The U.S. produces the highest quality of beef in the world, and ensuring that U.S. beef is treated fairly and foreign tax and regulatory barriers are lowered is of utmost importance. We are confident that given a level-playing field, U.S. farmers and ranchers can compete successfully and increase exports in any foreign market. 
 
Thank you for your consideration and we look forward to working with you and your administration to open the Chinese market to U.S. beef.   
 
 

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