“It’s un-American not to fight to have an even playing field": Rep. Arrington stresses our unbalanced trade

Lawmakers like Texas Representative Jodey Arrington say trade has been unbalanced for too long.

During a hearing on the Hill this week, he said the current trade rules would never fly if it was played like a basketball game.

“You know, I can’t imagine the Texas Tech Raiders taking on the Arkansas Hogs and let the Arkansas Razorbacks shoot lay-ups for their free throws, or pick up the ball and run with it instead of dribbling, I mean can you ever imagine watching a competition where there were two sets of rules. Now, we’d still beat them, no question, under any set of rules and circumstances, but anyway, it just seems to me that it’s un-American not to fight for our manufacturers, producers, and workers to simply have an even playing field.”

Arrington made those comments during a House Ways and Means Committee hearing on trade. Several ag groups spoke before the panel, highlighting the need to keep trade affordable.

Related Stories
OOIDA’s Lewie Pugh discusses the EPA’s new Right to Repair guidance and other regulatory developments impacting the trucking and agriculture industries.
Rebuilding domestic textiles depends on automation and vertical integration, not tariffs or legacy manufacturing models.
Low prices are painful now, but production response could support stronger milk markets later in 2026.
At CattleCon 2026 in Nashville, RealAg Radio’s Shaun Haney discusses profitability, consumer demand, and how the integrated U.S.–Canada beef supply chain impacts cattle producers across North America.
The USDA’s February WASDE report looms as the CME Ag Economy Barometer shows declining farmer confidence, and more ag industry groups calling for swift policy action.
Dr. Peter Beetham, interim CEO of Cibus, joined us to discuss the status of EU gene-editing deregulation and its potential implications for agriculture.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

Farm legal expert Roger McEowen discusses the EPA’s rescission of the 2009 endangerment finding on greenhouse gases and what it could mean for agriculture and rural America.
Chef and influencer Marcia Smart joined us to discuss Italian-inspired beef dishes, nutrition for active lifestyles, and how global events shape home cooking.
The USDA says the framework is about “ending abusive government overreach” and “protecting farmers, families, and private property.”
Farm numbers still favor small operations, but production, resilience, and risk management are increasingly concentrated among fewer, larger farms.
Wed, 2/18/26 – 7:30 PM ET