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House Ag Dems want stronger non-tariff trade barrier enforcement

House Ag Committee Democrats have told Ag Secretary Vilsack and US Trade Representative Tai they are concerned that non-tariff trade barriers imposed on ag biotech products are undercutting key elements of the administration’s trade policy enforcement.

Committee chairman David Scott, in the letter to Vilsack and Tai, says they support the stronger enforcement actions because farmers need to have as many tools as possible to confront global threats of climate change and food and nutritional insecurity.

They say China and Mexico are failing to comply with their commitments to science-based, timely regulatory approval which they agreed to in both the Phase One trade agreement and the US Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA).

Their letter says U.S. farmers are at risk of losing access to “a critical market” if they choose to use biotech tools.