Breaking Down Barriers to Trade

With more than 96 percent of the world’s customers living outside our borders, trade provides tremendous opportunities to grow our rural economy. As our work on trade negotiations moves forward, I am committed to expanding access to thriving and growing international markets for Nebraska producers, manufacturers, and consumers.

On Tuesday, I hosted a seminar in Grand Island called Growing Nebraska Through Trade. I appreciated Ambassador Darci Vetter, Third District native and Chief Agricultural Negotiator in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, joining us to deliver the keynote address on how trade agreements can level the playing field for producers in Nebraska and across the United States. Nebraska Department of Agriculture Director Greg Ibach and numerous other experts also provided informative perspectives on the intersections of trade and agriculture, and state level efforts to grow our value-added economy.

Ambassador Vetter focused specifically on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a trade agreement being negotiated among the U.S., Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam. Negotiators will reconvene in Atlanta during the final week of September to continue their work on TPP. While negotiators have made meaningful gains on many products, including those important to Nebraska producers, negotiators must take the necessary time to reach the strongest possible comprehensive agreement.

During the trade seminar, Nebraska exporters small and large expressed their excitement about the opportunities they see in TPP for their economic success. As Ambassador Vetter noted, TPP is estimated to lead to a $123.5 billion increase in U.S. exports and 650,000 new jobs. Nebraska is already America’s seventh largest exporter of agriculture products, but these TPP figures demonstrate the potential to expand economic opportunity for all Nebraskans – especially in the Third District, the top agriculture producing district in the United States.

While TPP has the potential to promote American exports, our producers continue to face trade barriers in foreign markets which are not based on sound science. For example, China’s marketplace presents enormous opportunity for Nebraska agriculture. Unfortunately, the Chinese government’s arbitrary treatment of U.S. biotech products is hindering the ability of American producers to compete on a level playing field and help feed the world. These actions run counter to commitments made last year to bolster science-based agricultural innovation and trade policy.

This week, I led 105 Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle in sending a letter to President Obama urging him to make biotech approvals a priority issue with Chinese President Xi Jinping during his official visit to Washington. We are eager for President Obama to further advance U.S. trade by pressing President Xi to meet China’s biotech commitments.

Though there are challenges to overcome in opening more markets to Nebraska producers, bipartisan cooperation on trade has allowed our country to move forward on important agreements with trading partners around the world. As a member of the House Ways and Means Committee and its Subcommittee on Trade, I will continue working to break down barriers to trade and create more economic opportunity for all Nebraskans in the global marketplace.