Trade is vital to the American farm economy, especially for producers across the Pacific Northwest. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack recently took time to address trade concerns, and to share what the Department is doing to help producers find overseas markets. Once concern for many in farm country is the approaching end of the Phase One Trade Deal with China, and what that means on the trade front looking into 2022.

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“I've had conversations with my counterpart in China, and I think at this point, the expectation is that we're going to continue to see purchases. Why? Because I think it's in both China and the United States best interest to continue to look for ways in which we can collaborate and cooperate in this trade sphere. Secondly, the fact is China needs us; they need the food that we can supply. So, I think there's an economic and food imperative on their part, and I think it makes good sense for us to be able to maintain some degree of connection with China.”

Vilsack noted the USDA is engaging with other Southeast Asian countries about improving trade relationships and lowering barriers to increased trade. Vilsack also addressed the possibility of the U.S. rejoining the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, now known as the CPTPP.

“Well, it has to pass Congress," Vilsack pointed out. "It's got to get through Congress: how does it get through Congress? Well, it has to have a majority of votes in Congress. Well, the reality is that there are folks on both the right and the left who have raised issues and concerns about trade in the theory and belief that somehow trade has disproportionately negatively impacted American workers or American businesses. So, I think first and foremost we have to build a strong foundation domestically, where people feel more confident in our economy.

"That's why it's so important for this reconciliation bill and this infrastructure bill to get passed, because that's what creates the momentum, internally, domestically, to strengthen American families to make them feel a bit more secure, and to create the kind of infrastructure that will allow us to take full advantage of a 21st Century economy,” Vilsack continued.

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