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House Ways and Means take a closer look at ag trade

The chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee says lawmakers are going to take a more active approach in the creation of new trade deals.

Jason Smith, a U.S. Congressman from Missouri, tells Brownfield “we’re trying to push this administration and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative to try and open markets for farmers and manufacturers in the United States.”

Smith says the Biden administration is missing opportunities to advance U.S. agriculture and other sectors.

“When you look at the United Kingdom, they should be purchasing our meat instead of going to Australia and other countries. They’re supposed to be one of our greatest allies and they need to be purchasing more of our products.”

He says the committee wants the administration to continue enforcing current trade deals for agriculture.

“That’s why we pushed for USTR to go into a dispute resolution with Mexico for violating the terms of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement when it comes to purchasing U.S. corn. We have to hold their feet to fire with Canada as well and the dairy industry.”

Smith and other lawmakers on the House Ways and Means Committee recently met with agriculture groups in field hearing on trade in Minnesota.