Vilsack Tells Lawmakers Much Is Being To Promote Ag Trade

Critics say the Administration is not doing enough make China live up to it's commitments in the Phase One trade agreement, or to do other things to boost agricultural trade in general.

"Its not correct to suggest that we have not done anything," Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently told the House Ag Committee that, yes, the China is $16 billion short when it comes to their promised Ag product purchases, "...and they are also light on seven very sanitary and phytosanitary barriers."

But Vilsack also told lawmakers things are happening behind the scene.

"There is an ongoing negotiation with China and so we're putting them on notice that we want them to live up to the Phase One agreement."

And Vilsack reminded lawmakers of several other recent actions on trade, including winning a dispute with Canada on it's dairy trade policies, opening up the market in India to U.S. pork and overall, he says U.S. ag exports set a record last year; projected to do so again in 2022.  

Which is, "...one of the reasons why commodity prices across the board are significantly stronger and higher than they were a year ago."

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