Sec. Rollins on Matching Countries’ Tariffs on Exports: It just makes sense

Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins is currently testifying before the House Agriculture Committee. She is fielding questions on trade, animal health, and the MAHA report.

When asked about what the U.S. can do to expand market access by Iowa Congressman Randy Feenstra, she said matching other countries’ tariffs on exports just makes sense.

“I have been really surprised, but in the best way, at how excited these countries are for us to be on the ground, how they understand that the 15 percent average tariff put on our American agriculture products versus the average 5 percent that we put on their products. They understand that it is not sustainable, that they’ve got to do better at putting our American products forward. As I mentioned, Italy imports $75 billion in ag products every year, only $1.7 billion of that is from America. This is one of our best partners, more aligned with our values than any other country.”

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

Key signs of the U.S. beef herd’s recovery are improved pasture conditions, lower feed costs, and increased regulatory alignment and support for producers to implement targeted grazing practices.
Dr. Mark Svoboda with the National Drought Mitigation Center discusses a new global drought report and resources to help operations increase drought resilience.
Treat financial stress as a health risk—know the warning signs, normalize conversations, and connect farm families to local and national support early.
Congress has just over a month of working days left for the year. Plan for uneven USDA service until funding is restored, and closely monitor Farm Bill talks, as avoiding Permanent Law before January 1 is the single biggest risk to markets and milk prices.
Mexico’s tougher, two-step treatment and added checkpoints are catching cases before they can spread—good news for producers near the border.
Despite tariffs having a less significant impact on exports, corn producers struggle with tariff-related increases on inputs, which complicates their bottom line.