If nothing else dominated the time of the Trump Administration, it was trade. For better or worse, we renegotiated trade pacts with Mexico, Canada, Japan, China, and others. The Administration was aggressive in getting updated trade pacts. President Biden has been in office for eight months now, and there are still key positions in his trade team that have yet to be filled. One Iowa Senator is concerned with the President?s lack of initiative on trade.
Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley held his weekly call with Ag media on Thursday. He says that after eight months in office, President Biden has not talked about any free trade agreements or worked on any additional phases in trade pacts with China and Japan. The Senator also highlighted the fact that two key agriculture trade positions still don?t have so much as a nominee. Grassley added that every day we don?t have these positions filled, the further we fall behind our competitors in the global marketplace.
Grassley announced that he sent a letter to the President to urge him to get these positions filled with quality individuals. He says that Iowa?s farmers and small businesses can benefit from an advancing trade plan.
More phases in a trade deal with China have been mentioned by U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai. Grassley commented on her plan to engage with a coalition of other countries to confront China on trade. The Senator added that it was the approach that the Trump Administration should have taken. However, Grassley says that he was under the impression they had a coalition assembled.
With Phase 1 trade set to run out. Grassley reminded reporters that the plan had been to evaluate Phase 1?s outcomes before proceeding on Phase 2. He is curious how much longer that will take.
