Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins says despite the trade uncertainty from the president’s on-again-off-again tariffs, USDA is working to boost US farm exports, especially soy.
A recent visit to Italy brought this response from Secretary Rollins when the top House Ag Democrat asked at an oversight hearing what Rollins was doing to boost soy exports.
“Interestingly, of course, the government of Georgia Meloni is very aligned with President Trump, as an example. They are very open. But Italy, again, as an example, imports about 75 (B) billion dollars in agricultural products. Only 1-point-7 (B) billion comes from our American farmers and ranchers.”
Rollins noted that despite the trade uncertainty surrounding the president’s tariff threats, the administration is pushing for more farm exports.
“We had great conversations, specific to soy, on how we get, which is the number one import, but not nearly enough, how we get more of that into Italy, into the EU, into Japan, into India.”
But Ranking Ag Democrat Angie Craig wanted to know about the US’s biggest soy market.
“China represents 50-percent of (the) U.S. soybean market…wouldn’t it, I’m not going to ask, but I believe it would have been a better strategy to go get these markets before you do an across-the-board trade war that decimates 50-percent of the market.” Rollins “President announced a deal with China, so that is being solved.”
The US and China agreed to drop their reciprocal tariffs to 10-percent for 90-days while negotiating a broader trade deal during the pause. China earlier imposed 10-and 15-percent duties on key U.S. farm goods.
-NAFB