At the Midwest Agricultural Export Summit in Sioux Falls, U.S. trade officials, commodity leaders, and governors emphasized the urgency of securing agricultural trade deals before the fall harvest.
Julie Callahan, President Trump’s nominee for chief agricultural trade negotiator, underscored the need for agriculture to be included in every negotiation, noting the $50 billion agricultural trade deficit and the risk of delayed agreements. Panelists highlighted new opportunities from the U.K.’s removal of tariffs on ethanol and beef, Japan’s $4.5 billion in additional purchases, and zero tariffs on U.S. bison meat.
Industry leaders stressed that market access through trade agreements is critical for U.S. beef, pork, and dairy exports, with many urging diversification away from reliance on China. The U.S. Meat Export Federation pointed to strong demand in new markets such as Indonesia, despite some non-tariff barriers, while dairy representatives pushed for more access to Asia and Europe, even advocating for aggressive trade tactics with the EU. U.S.
Photo Credit: Sioux Falls Business