USGC Importance of Trade: Part 2

In Part Two of our series focused on trade and the U.S. Grains Council.  USDA figures show that last year, the top ten export markets for U.S. coarse grains, co-products, ethanol and meat products were worth more than $7 billion.  Floyd Gaibler, director of trade policy with USGC, is a veteran trade policy expert.  He said trade benefits the U.S. economy in variety of ways.

“Public private partnership increasing our ag productivity.  Obviously our farmers have the ability to adopt new technology and innovative practices to remain competitive.  And those benefits spill down through the value chain.  Ultimately the beneficiary is the end user, the consumer.

Gaibler served as deputy undersecretary for farm and foreign agricultural services at USDA, and he has more than 25 years of experience in trade policy.  He said for farming to be successful in the future, we must look beyond the U.S.

“It’s the old adage that 95% of U.S. food and agriculture’s customers lie outside our boarders, and that’s going to be the determining factor of whether U.S. agriculture is going to continue to be competitive, and financially viable in the future."

Gaibler adds trade is a critical component of the farm safety net and our national security.  Learn more about the importance of trade online at www.Grains.org.

If you have a story idea for the Washington Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail gvaagen@cherrycreekradio.com