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.
While short-term volatility remains a risk, softer ocean freight rates in 2026 could improve export margins.
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Trade volatility and shifting export destinations increase marketing risk for producers heading into 2026.
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RFD NEWS Correspondent Frank McCaffrey speaks with Texas’s Sen. Ted Cruz and Rep. Vicente Gonzalez about USMCA renegotiation and its impact on U.S.–Mexico agriculture trade.
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Shaun Haney joined us to discuss Canada’s new trade agreement with China, the potential impact on farmers and exporters, and what it could mean for U.S.–Canada trade relations going forward.
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National Corn Growers Association Chief Economist Krista Swanson discusses corn supply pressures, market fundamentals, policy considerations, and producer outlook for the year ahead.
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The proposal signals a renewed push to offset tariff-driven losses, stabilize nutrition programs, and broaden eligibility for farm aid, though its path forward will depend on congressional negotiations.
January 16, 2026 11:58 AM
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