U.S. ag groups call for EU tariff removal

Nov 19, 2020

The EU imposed levies on U.S. goods on Nov. 10

By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com

American ag industry organizations are calling on members of President Trump’s administration to protect the sector from tariffs.

A total of 21 groups signed a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer asking him and other federal officials to work with the European Union (EU) so it removes tariff and non-tariff barriers from multiple ag products.

Letter signees include the American Farm Bureau Federation, National Corn Growers Association and American Soybean Association.

The U.S. and EU have traded tariffs since 2018.

In June of that year, the EU placed a 25 percent tariff on U.S. ag exports including whiskey, sweet corn, orange juice and rice in response to America putting levies on steel and aluminum. In June 2021, the tariff on some of those U.S. ag products will increase to 50 percent.

In October 2019, the U.S. imposed tariffs on European ag products related to the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Airbus ruling.

Then, on Nov. 10 of this year, the EU placed more tariffs on American agriculture. Affected products include cheese, spirits, potatoes, fruit and chocolate.

When factoring in tariffs, COVID-19 and weather events, it’s evident these two trading partners need to repair their relationship for the betterment of farmers.

“For these reasons, we strongly urge the U.S. and EU to deepen trade discussions in order to bring about WTO compliance and, therefore, allow for the removal of tariffs to help unlock the opportunity for our producers to successfully access the European market,” the Nov. 18 letter says.

Farms.com has contacted members of the U.S. ag industry for comment on the importance of re-establishing free trade with Europe and expanding trade opportunities overall.

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.