Focusing on Trade: What Representative Thompson thinks should be on Congress’ radar

When it comes to ag exports, there are two sides to the equation: trade and infrastructure.

House Ag Committee Chair, GT Thompson, shares what could be on the radar for Congress this session.

“It won’t be infrastructure in terms of canals, ports which needs to be addressed. We need to modernize in a serious way. I mean we have ports of entry and ports of export. They cannot accommodate these larger shipping vessels that we now have. So, for whatever reason the United States has not kept up with those investments and we need to do that. We need to be able to move our agricultural commodities efficiently.

“We need to make this a place where these companies that operate these vessels want to come to, right? Also, we need to look at some policies, like there’s an awful lot of shipping containers that are going back empty, specifically to China and that’s wrong. We’re buying products and they need to be fulfilling their trade promises and buying our commodities.”

Congressman Thompson says trade was a hot topic at the listening session with farmers this week at the World Ag Expo.

Related Stories
China has been largely absent from U.S. markets lately, but not when it comes to cotton. It’s a buy that, traders say, isn’t surprising given China’s limitations.
As the White House works to close the trade gap, patience is wearing thin for some lawmakers. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) says farmers are getting backed into a corner.
The September WASDE report comes out on Friday at Noon ET. As always, we’ll bring you those numbers right here on Market Day Report along with our expert
Lewie Pugh, with the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, joined us on Monday’s Market Day Report with his insights on the incident and a deeper dive into the issues at hand.
As the Trump Administration seeks out new global trade partnerships, Congress is considering more support for farmers, which comes as the Federal Reserve warns that farmers need a safety net.
Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins will travel to Europe and Asia to seek new trade partnerships for U.S. crops after China reduced imports due to tariffs.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

The National Association of Agriculture Educators (NAAE) recently elected Bill Newsom, of Tennessee, as the organization’s new president.
As we start the new year, let’s take a look at some of the legislative items from 2023 affecting agriculture that will continue to play out in the political area for months to come.
Researchers out of the United Kingdom are using gene editing technology to help make High-Path Avian Flu less of a threat to poultry.