USDA

The Agriculture Committee will vote on Perdue’s nomination on Wednesday.

“Under the plan, America's no-cost sugar policy would be rolled back in exchange for the elimination of foreign subsidy programs.”

The group wants the administration to “ensure a reinstatement of COOL would be allowable under any renegotiation” of NAFTA.

“It is laughable that the United States continues to recognize their inspection system as being equivalent.”

The National Economic Council told food and agricultural groups on March 15 that reworking the North American Free Trade Agreement and forging a bilateral deal with Japan are its top two trade negotiating objectives, according to a participant in the White House meeting.

Arkansas Republican Rep. Rick Crawford expressed confidence this week that his bill to allow U.S. agriculture exporters to extend credit to Cuban buyers is gaining support in Congress, but where President Trump and the White House stand on the idea – and Cuba policy in general – remains largely unclear.

“Trade policies that grow American manufacturing jobs have my full support, but they can't come at the expense of agriculture jobs.”

Negotiations to redo agreements suspending U.S. antidumping and countervailing duties on Mexican sugar have paused due to turnover in the U.S. Agriculture and Commerce departments, but a former USDA undersecretary is optimistic that a deal can be struck once the Trump administration’s team is in place and brought up to speed.

“SUA believes that USTR must retain its historic leadership role in trade policy, and that a strong and knowledgeable leader is indispensable.”