“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
Dr. Derrell Peel says long-term price relief will depend more on rebuilding the U.S. cattle herd than increasing imports.
Industry leaders say producers could still benefit even with many operations already using reduced-tax off-road diesel.
For producers, the next proof will be actual export sales, shipment pace, and buyer breakdowns.
Ethanol production climbed to a four-week high while inventories fell to their lowest level since early October, according to energy data analyzed by the RFA.
The latest Meat Demand Monitor shows strong retail demand for beef products like ribeye steaks and ground beef.
Corey Rosenbusch, President & CEO of The Fertilizer Institute, discusses fertilizer markets transparency efforts and the steps to ensure long-term stability for farmers and the ag economy.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

Support policies that keep U.S. biofuels at the table—marine demand could materially lift corn grind, crush margins, and rural jobs.
FarmHER Katey Jo Evans joins us to share her journey from farm wife to entrepreneur and advocate for reducing food waste.
China is not one of our top suppliers of cooking oil, according to USDA ERS data, but does export a lot of used cooking oil to the U.S. for biofuel production.
Industry leaders say $11 billion in new investments could turn the tide as dairy producers face shrinking margins and growing uncertainty.