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Farmers for Free Trade welcomes temporary tariff truce with China

The executive director of Farmers for Free Trade is encouraged by the U.S. and China agreeing to drastically roll back tariffs.

Brian Kuehl calls Monday’s announcement a step in the right direction.

“Any progress with China is good. China is one of our largest export markets for U.S. ag and food products, right up there with Canada and Mexico. Those are the big three.”

He tells Brownfield the 90-day reduction on tariffs gives both countries an opportunity to figure out a long-term solution.

“Hopefully cool tempers a little bit. We haven’t completely backed off the trade war, it’s a 90-day pause instead of a permanent solution. It doesn’t take tariffs back down to where they were before this whole flare up started.”

The U.S. has agreed to lower its overall tariffs on Chinese goods from 145 percent to 30 percent, with China cutting levies on American imports from 125 percent to 10 percent.