Soybean growers could take a hit this year if port fees are added to Chinese-built ships, Senator Chuck Grassley warns.
“Right now, our lower shipping costs make Ag products like Iowa corn and soybeans competitive with Brazilian corn and beans. If a maximum fee were put in place, our farmers would lose their edge and cede even more market share to competitors in South America.”
Grassley says he hopes U.S. Trade Rep Jamieson Greer takes farmer concerns seriously as they decide the next steps. Some groups say smaller ports would suffer under the deal, possibly putting the supply chain in jeopardy.
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“American soybean farmers—who are already reeling from your sweeping tariffs—deserve better.”
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“Those could’ve easily been our beans going over there. It goes to show that if that opportunity is there, China would be willing to buy.”