For Immediate Release: July 24, 2018
Contact: Caitlin Eannello, Director of Communications, National Association of Wheat Growers, (240) 423-4345, ceannello@wheatworld.org
Steve Mercer, Vice President of Communications, U.S. Wheat Associates, (703) 650-0251, smercer@uswheat.org
Wheat Organizations Continue to Support an End to Trade War as Administration Offers Help for Farmers
Washington, D.C. — The Trump Administration announced today that it would provide $12 billion to help farmers cope with the results of the current trade dispute ignited by new U.S. tariffs.
U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) and the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) are glad that the Administration recognizes farming as a risky business and acknowledges that farmers need help to manage the additional risk from its trade policies. However, our concerns still lie in a lengthy trade war that will cause long-term, irreparable harm to U.S. agriculture. We urge the Administration to recognize this self-inflicted damage and to end the trade war immediately as well as to work within the rules-based trading system in partnership with like-minded countries to address serious problems in the global economy.
While tariffs aren’t the answer, the wheat industry greatly appreciates the Administration’s efforts to push back on China’s unfair trade practices through dispute settlement cases at the World Trade Organization. The policies being challenged hurt U.S. farmers and have undermined trust in the rules-based trading system. President Trump understands that the farm economy is struggling and is working to improve the livelihoods of growers across the country through these efforts.
Agriculture needs strong trading partners, so we also encourage the Administration to rejoin the Trans-Pacific Partnership and finalize NAFTA negotiations so that the U.S. Trade Representative can focus on new trading partners that will be as important as ever. These actions will have lasting benefits to wheat growers across the country.
To repeat, this damage is self-inflicted, so the Administration is right to take steps to address it, but the next step should be ending the trade war. We will also be closely engaged with Administration officials as the details of the announcement made today are developed.
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About NAWG
NAWG is the primary representative in Washington D.C. for wheat growers, working to ensure a better future for America’s growers, the industry and the general public. NAWG works with a team of 21 state wheat grower organizations to benefit the wheat industry at state and national levels. From their offices in the Wheat Growers Building on Capitol Hill, NAWG’s staff members are in constant contact with state association representatives, NAWG grower leaders, Members of Congress, Congressional staff members and the public.
About U.S. Wheat Associates
USW’s mission is to “develop, maintain, and expand international markets to enhance wheat’s profitability for U.S. wheat producers and its value for their customers.” USW activities in more than 100 countries are made possible through producer checkoff dollars managed by 17 state wheat commissions and cost-share funding provided by USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service. For more information, visit our website at www.uswheat.org.
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