Trade

Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) released the following statement today after the Obama administration announced it would take no action on the extension of preference for travel goods to all Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) beneficiaries.

Acting on the request of the U.S. beef industry, USTR has scheduled a public hearing and is seeking public comments in connection with the EU’s ban on most U.S. beef products. The EU’s ban on U.S. beef is not based on sound science and discriminates against American beef farmers, ranchers, and producers.

The complaint filed by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) charges that China’s administration of its TRQs for these commodities breaches China’s WTO commitments and undermines American farm exports. The United States is launching this trade enforcement challenge to hold China to its trade commitments and help level the playing field for American rice, wheat, and corn farmers.

Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) joined U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, and a bipartisan delegation of congressional leaders today to show his support for a new trade enforcement action against China at the World Trade Organization (WTO) as a result of its excessive government support for Chinese production of rice, wheat, and corn.

Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) stressed the importance of biotechnology in today’s Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee hearing on U.S. agriculture trade.