Forty ag groups have asked President Biden to eliminate or reduce steel and aluminum tariffs on other countries.
They say it is hurting farmers because now other nations are levying more tariffs against us, and it is hitting producers’ pocketbooks when shipping out to India and China. Jim Bair, President, and CEO of USApple says it is time for the situation to change.
“President Biden campaigned on the idea of getting out of these damaging tariffs. That hasn’t happened, and so that’s why we were happy to join with those other ag organizations from dairy, and wheat, and oil seeds and pork and rice and others to say ‘Hey it’s time to draw this to an end. We’ve been shouldering this pain for so long, let’s get out of it, and let’s get U.S. growers back to doing what they do best, which is export a great product’.”
Bair says they are still waiting to hear back from U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai, and farmers are feeling anxious. He said the group normally exports one-third of the crop, which is about $1 billion a year toward a positive balance of trade, but right now, that is taking a major hit.
Related:
U.S. & UK Announce New Tariff Agreement for Steel & Aluminum Products
U.S. removes Canadian aluminum tariffs
U.S. likely to impose aluminum tariff on Canada
