Good Trade, Fair Trade, and More of It
With California Ag Today, I am Haylie Shipp. This is the Ag Information Network.
Good trade, fair trade, and more of it. That’s the plea from dairy organizations advocating in Washington D.C. recently.
In a hearing before U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai, Tony Rice, Trade Policy Director for the National Milk Producers Federation, testified that U.S. trade policy can strengthen supply chain resiliency and ensure that U.S. dairy continues growing as a global leader.
The U.S. dairy industry exported more than $8 billion worth of products in 2023, supporting thousands of jobs and contributing significantly to the national economy.
During his testimony, Rice highlighted the need for a more proactive U.S. trade policy agenda that tackles global trade barriers and enhances market access to key partners.
“An inclusive, worker-centered trade policy should reflect the central role that comprehensive trade agreements and American exports play for the ag economy and the many farmers and workers throughout the supply chain who rely on it,” Rice says.
He also recommended that the USTR incorporate dairy-specific elements in trade negotiations to facilitate a robust supply chain.
