Jamieson Greer: Tariff and non-tariff barriers are the recipe for why we have unfair trade

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer has years of trade experience under his belt. He says the goal is to make trade fair again and blames tariff and non-tariff barriers.

“We only charge a 2.5 percent tariff on ethanol, but Brazil charges us an 18 percent tariff. The result: we have a large trade deficit in ethanol with Brazil. Our average tariff on agricultural goods is five percent, but India’s average tariff is 39 percent. Last year, I think we imported about three billion dollars’ worth of Australian beef, and we exported zero dollars of American beef to Australia.”

Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins has said the ag trade deficit will soar to nearly $50 billion this year.

Related Stories
USMEF says several African markets continue imposing barriers that limit opportunities for American meat exports.
AEM’s Kip Eideberg joins us to discuss tariff policy changes, their potential impact on agricultural equipment costs, and the outlook for the farm machinery sector.
USDA Undersecretary for Trade Luke Lindberg says expanding export demand is creating new opportunities for U.S. ethanol producers.
Higher ocean freight rates continue adding pressure to U.S. wheat exports despite stronger demand projections.
Limited supplies of lean beef continue driving import demand despite historically strong cattle prices.
Strong cattle values persist as producers weigh the costs and risks associated with herd expansion.