A coalition of 115 food and agriculture associations signed a letter to Senate Finance Leadership recommending confirmation of Katherine Tai to serve as our next U.S. Trade Representative. Read the full letter below.
Food & Agriculture Associations Letter to U.S. Senate Committee on Finance in Support of the Nomination of Ms. Katherine Tai to be U.S. Trade Representative
January 26, 2021
The Honorable Ron Wyden, Chairman
The Honorable Mike Crapo, Ranking Member
U.S. Senate Committee on Finance
219 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Dear Chairman Wyden and Ranking Member Crapo:
The undersigned food and agriculture trade associations respectfully urge confirmation of Katherine Tai to be United States Trade Representative.
Our associations represent the vast majority of the food and agriculture sector accounting for roughly one-fifth of the country’s economic activity, directly supporting more than 23 million jobs – constituting nearly 15 percent of total U.S. employment.
Ms. Tai is eminently qualified and deeply familiar with the mission of the Office of the United States Trade Representative in opening foreign markets and reducing barriers for U.S. food and agriculture workers and exporters for the benefit of consumers in the U.S. and across the globe. We especially value Ms. Tai’s demonstrated ability to build bipartisan support for trade policies. We submit that these capabilities are essential to the success of the next Trade Representative in addressing the most pressing trade policy issues, including trade relationship challenges with China and the European Union, as well as enforcement of existing trade agreements and tackling non-tariff barriers to trade. We believe that Ms. Tai has the experience and expertise to secure greater market access for U.S. products and ensure enforcement of clear and fair rules with our trade partners so U.S. food and agriculture workers and our industry sectors may fairly compete in the global economy.
Please feel free to call upon any of the undersigned associations to expand upon our rationale for supporting the nomination of Katherine Tai.
Sincerely,
Agribusiness Council of Indiana
Indianapolis, IN
Agricultural Retailers Association
Arlington, VA
Almond Alliance of California
Modesto, CA
American Bakers Association
Washington, DC
American Beekeeping Federation
Washington, FL
American Dairy Products Institute
Elmhurst, IL
American Farm Bureau Federation
Washington, DC
American Feed Industry Association
Arlington, VA
American Fruit and Vegetable Processors and Growers Coalition
Washington, DC
American Seed Trade Association
Alexandria, VA
American Soybean Association
Washington, DC
American Sugar Alliance
Arlington, VA
Animal Health Institute
Washington, DC
Association of Equipment Manufacturers
Washington, DC
Biotechnology Innovation Organization
Washington, DC
California Association of Winegrape Growers
Sacramento, CA
California Cherry Export Association
Sacramento, CA
California Fresh Fruit Association
Fresno, CA
California Grain and Feed Association
Sacramento, CA
California League of Food Processors
Sacramento, CA
California Pear Growers Association
Sacramento, CA
California Table Grape Commission
Fresno, CA
Colorado Dairy Farmers
Denver, CO
Consumer Brands Association
Arlington, VA
Corn Refiners Association
Washington, DC
Cotton Warehouse Association of America
Washington, DC
Crop Insurance Professionals Association
Washington, DC
Dairy Producers of New Mexico
Roswell, NM
Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S.
Washington, DC
Farmers for Free Trade
Sheridan, WY
Florida Tomato Exchange
Maitland, FL
FMI – Food Industry Association
ARLINGTON, VA
Food Northwest
Portland, OR
Fresh Produce Association of the Americas
Nogales, AZ
Global Cold Chain Alliance
Arlington, VA
Hop Growers of America
Yakima, WA
Illinois Pork Producers Assoc.
Springfield, IL
Imperial Valley Asparagus Growers Association
El Centro, CA
Indiana Dairy Producers
Francesville, IN
Institute of Shortening and Edible Oils
Washington, DC
International Dairy Foods Association
Washington, DC
Iowa Pork Producers Association
Clive, IA
Iowa State Dairy Association
Ankeny, IA
Kansas Dairy Association
Hays, KS
Kansas Grain and Feed Association
Topeka, KS
Kansas Pork Association
Manhattan, KS
Leather & Hide Council of America
Washington, DC
Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers
Reston, VA
Meat Import Council of America, Inc.
Washington, DC
Michigan Agri-Business Association
Lansing, MI
Michigan Apple Association
Lansing, MI
Michigan Pork Producers Association
East Lansing, MI
Midwest Food Products Associations, Inc.
Madison, WI
Milk Producers Council
Escalon, CA
Minnesota Grain and Feed Association
New Prague, MN
Minnesota Pork Producers Association
Mankato, MN
Missouri Pork Association
Columbia, MO
National Association of State Departments of Agriculture
Arlington, VA
National Association of Wheat Growers
Washington, DC
National Confectioners Association
Washington, DC
National Corn Growers Association
St. Louis, MO
National Cotton Council
Washington, DC
National Council of Farmer Cooperatives
Washington, DC
National Fisheries Institute
McLean, VA
National Grain and Feed Association
Arlington, VA
National Milk Producers Federation
Arlington, VA
National Oilseed Processors Association
Washington, DC
National Pecan Federation
Washington, DC
National Pork Producers Council
Des Moines, IA
National Potato Council
Washington, DC
National Sorghum Producers
Lubbock, TX
National Turkey Federation
Washington, DC
Nebraska Grain and Feed Association
Lincoln, NE
New York Pork Producers
Depew, NY
North American Export Grain Association
Arlington, VA
North American Meat Institute
Washington, DC
North American Millers’ Association
Arlington, VA
North American Renderers Associaiton
Alexandria, VA
North Carolina Pork Council
Raleigh, NC
Northeast Agribusiness and Feed Alliance
Albany, NY
Northwest Horticultural Council
Yakima, WA
Ohio Pork Council
New Albany, OH
Oklahoma Grain & Feed Association
Enid, OK
Oregon Dairy Farmers Association
Salem, OR
Oregon Feed and Grain Association
Portland, OR
Organic Trade Association
Washington, DC
Pacific Northwest Grain & Feed Association
Portland, OR
Panhandle Peanut Growers Association
Wellington, TX
Pet Food Institute
Washington, DC
Produce Marketing Association
Newark, DE
Rocky Mountain Agribusiness Association
Westminster, CO
SNAC International
Arlington, VA
South Dakota Dairy Producers
Madison, SD
South East Dairy Farmers Association
Washington, DC
Southwest Council of Agribusiness
Lubbock, TX
Sweetener Users Association
Washington, DC
Tennessee Feed and Grain Association
Rockvale, TN
Tennessee Pork Producers Association
Rockvale, TN
Texas Grain and Feed Association
Fort Worth, TX
The Hardwood Federation
Washington, DC
U.S. Apple Association
Falls Church, VA
U.S. Dairy Export Council
Arlington, VA
U.S. Wheat Associates
Arlington, VA
United Fresh Produce Association
Washington, DC
United States Peanut Federation
Washington, DC
US Rice Producers Association
Houston, TX
USA Poultry and Egg Export Council
Stone Mountain, GA
USA Rice Federation
Arlington, VA
Virginia Pork Council
Elberon, VA
Washington Apple Commission
Wenatchee, WA
Western Growers
Washington, DC
Western Peanut Growers Association
Seminole, TX
WineAmerica
Washington, DC
Wisconsin Agri-Business Association
Madison, WI