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Bode: U.S. ag needs new trade agreements

The president and CEO of the Corn Refiners Association says the U.S. agriculture industry needs new market-opening trade agreements to remain competitive.

John Bode says the United Kingdom and Kenya are great places to start, “where negotiations have already been started but haven’t been resumed during this administration.”

He tells Brownfield, “I think everybody is waiting for the U.S. to get in the game and get those negotiations resumed because they could be completed fairly soon.”

Bode says there could be some challenges without Trade Promotion Authority.

“That could complicate ratification, but you don’t have to have Trade Promotion Authority to negotiate an agreement,” he says.

Corn Refiners Associaiton is one of more than 50 ag and food organizations urging Congress to pass Trade Promotion Authority, legislation that gives the administration “objectives and guidance in pursuing tariff-cutting trade agreements.” The groups sent a letter to Congress in mid-March.