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Farmers for Free Trade says it’s not a celebration yet

The executive director of Farmers For Free Trade Brian Kuehl says it’s too early to pop champagne corks following the signing of the phase-one trade deal with China. 

He tells Brownfield it’s positive that the US and China are talking and the trade deal signing means the U.S. did not raise tariffs on additional products. But, tariffs remain on BOTH sides.  “We’re competing against soybeans from Brazil that don’t have those same taxes,” he says.  “In fact, China has lowered taxes for other countries as part of this trade war.  So we’re at a significant competitive disadvantage.”

Kuehl says he’ll be looking for the specifics of the deal when it is made available in writing and even if China agrees to buy 40-billion dollars in ag goods, that would be difficult to achieve in 2020 or beyond.