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ISSUE:
American Agri-Women supports trade with consistent regulatory frameworks and active
enforcement to maintain market access for U.S. products and secure supplies of inputs from
around the globe. In general, AAW supports an increase in negotiating new trade agreements to secure mutually beneficial economic and political relationships. AAW opposes food sanctions.
AMERICAN AGRI-WOMEN REQUEST:
SUPPORT S. 759 BEAGLE BRIGADE ACT OF 2023
SUPPORT U.S. TRADE REPRESENTATIVE’S ENFORCEMENT OF USMCA
SUPPORT H.R. 683, S. 168 THE PROMOTING AGRICULTURE SAFEGUARDS AND SECURITY ACT OF 2023 (PASS ACT)
SUPPORT H.R. 648 AGRICULTURE EXPORT PROMOTION ACT OF 2023
SUPPORT DEVELOPING U.S. PORTS OVERSEAS
SUPPORT RAPID CONCLUSION OF LABOR NEGOTIATIONS AT U.S. PORTS
BACKGROUND:
S. 759 BEAGLE BRIGADE ACT OF 2023 – This bi-partisan bill provides congressional authority to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Detector Dog Training Center. This is a vital program in training agricultural canine teams that work daily to prevent foreign animal and plant diseases from entering the United States.
SUPPORT U.S. TRADE REPRESENTATIVE’S ENFORCEMENT OF USMCA (U.S. Mexico Canada Agreement) – The President of Mexico’s ban on genetically modified white corn (initially all corn) is arbitrary because science does not support claims of negative nutritious or health impacts of GMOs in livestock or humans. In fact, GMO corn has resulted in healthier ecological conditions than relying on pesticides at every growing stage of the plant. AAW is concerned the ban on GMO white corn could be the first step toward all corn as well as other GMO products. World Perspectives, Inc.
USTR ENFORCE USMCA AND DEFEND GMOS
estimated potential economic losses of $3.5 billion in U.S. gross national product while Mexico could lose up to $8 billion a year related to the shift from raising their own meat fed with U.S. grains to importing processed meat.
H.R. 683, S. 168 THE PROMOTING AGRICULTURE SAFEGUARDS AND SECURITY ACT OF
2023 (PASS ACT) – This bi-partisan effort amends the Defense Production act of 1950 to
include the Secretary of Agriculture on the Committee on Foreign Investment in the
United States and requires review of certain agricultural transactions. The U.S. ability to
grow, to process and to supply food is pivotal to our nation’s security. Examples of
threats to the integrity of the food supply chain have been documented in foreign
adversaries purchasing farmland and bypassing domestic supply chains to export
directly back to their countries while using scarce water resources in western states;
controlling processing and hording supplies of fresh and frozen products; and
purchasing land near military bases and other critical infrastructure assets.
H.R. 648, THE AGRICULTURE EXPORT PROMOTION ACT OF 2023 – This bill reflects a
Farm Bill priority of AAW which is to increase funding for USDA’s Market Access
Program and the Foreign Market Development Program authorized in the Farm Bill.
DEVELOP U.S. PORTS OVERSEAS – Supply chain disruptions of the last three years
illustrate our dependency on other countries for shipping containers and access at ports
around the globe. Whereas DP World, founded in 1972 and owned by United Arab
Emirates, has more operations in more than 69 countries located on every continent
throughout the world, there are few U.S. terminal operators who have operations
overseas. Funding for a feasibility analysis could come from USDA Foreign Ag Service in
cooperation with the Department of Defense.
RAPID CONCLUSION OF LABOR NEGOTIATIONS AT U.S. PORTS – AAW supported the
Ocean Reform Shipping Act of 2022 to make much needed infrastructure investments to
improve efficiency at our nation’s ports. AAW also supports rapid conclusions to the
labor negotiations with west coast ports this year and eastern port negotiations in 2024
to ensure that these vital gateways to commerce remain open for agricultural products,
especially perishable food and feedstuffs.