Leaders, farmers talk about trade – AgriNews

WASHINGTON – Exports are critical to America’s farmers and ranchers.

The non-profit organization Farmers for Free Trade held a webinar for leaders and farmers to discuss trade issues.

“Exports account for 20% of farm income in the United States and support more than 1 million jobs.” said Maria Ziba, assistant vice president for international affairs at the National Pork Producers Council.

“In the U.S. pork sector, we export more than 25% of our production to more than 100 countries, representing more than $ 8 billion in pork exports in 2021. This added $ 61 to the average cost of each pork sold in 2021.

“Exports are also important because they create stability and confidence for food and agricultural producers. Unfortunately, tariffs and trade wars created volatility and uncertainty at a time when our food chains and supply chains were stretched. That’s really the last thing we need. “

Here are a few takeaways from the event.

“Exports directly affect my profits. After the introduction of tariffs in 2018, one of the things we saw was an immediate drop in prices. Usually it is a market of supply and demand. But if there are external forces in this market, in this case tariffs, we have seen this compensation. It went directly to our profits. In Iowa, about 60% of our soybean harvest is exported. On the other hand, we found new buyers. But we left the door open for our competitors. “

Dave Walton, farmer

Wilton, Iowa

“We gave other countries a competitive advantage at a time when the trade war was most intense, and allowed them to improve their markets and favor other countries. This is something we don’t come back for overnight. Market share is a concern for me in the future. “

Brent Bible, farmer

Lafayette, Indiana

“If farmers, food producers and agricultural equipment manufacturers have stability and confidence, it means they can invest and develop their activities. It creates jobs and allows us to focus on all other ways of helping our country. For example, by capturing carbon and diversifying our food supply chains. ”

Maria Ziba, Assistant Vice President for International Affairs

National Pork Producers Council