Scott, Senate Republicans Lead Efforts to Grow American Agricultural Exports, Combat Growing Trade Deficit

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) joined 21 of his Senate colleagues in urging the Biden administration to address the record agriculture exports trade deficit and alarming decline in America’s international competitive advantage. U.S. agriculture exports fell by more than $17 billion in the last fiscal year as Europe, Canada, and China continue to amass critical export opportunities and global economic influence.

“We expect trade to fluctuate in response to macroeconomic factors and market conditions,” wrote the senators to U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai and U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “However, the current sharp decline in U.S. agricultural exports is directly attributable to and exacerbated by an unambitious U.S. trade strategy that is failing to meaningfully expand market access or reduce tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade. While the Biden administration continually refuses to pursue traditional free trade agreements, China, Canada, the European Union, the United Kingdom, and others continue to ink trade pacts that diminish American export opportunities and global economic influence.”

The letter was also signed by Senators John Thune (R-S.D.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Rounds, (R-S.D.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), and Todd Young (R-Ind.).

Read the letter in full here.