With the publication of USTR’s five-year review of the WTO trade policy agenda, comes the opportunity for Congress to put forth a joint resolution seeking US withdrawal. Although the USTR report does not explicitly recommend withdrawal, it is very negative on the WTO and CRA and IDFA believe political momentum is ripe for a joint resolution to move forward this Congress. Unfortunately, despite its challenges, U.S. withdrawal would not resolve our concerns with the WTO and instead would just offer China another global platform. Please join us in sending a strong message that the U.S. agricultural community supports WTO reform, not WTO withdrawal. Please note specific recipients in the Senate are still being identified and may change. 

On behalf of the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) and Corn Refiners Association (CRA), we encourage U.S. food and agriculture associations at all levels (national, regional, state, etc.) and companies to sign on to the letter.

The opportunity to sign-on to the letter will close COB Friday, March 28, 2025.

Please contact Becky Rasdall ([email protected]) or Kristy Goodfellow ([email protected]) if you have any questions.

Senators x and x
Chair and Ranking Member
Senate Finance Committee

March ___, 2025

Dear _________:

We are writing to urge your support for U.S. membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO).  The WTO contributes significantly to a strong, safe, and prosperous America.

America’s food and agriculture community recognizes and agrees with certain concerns related to the functionality and balance of the WTO, particularly as they relate to non-market economies, such as China. However, the WTO has created meaningful economic and political stability that cannot be underestimated. Since the United States adopted major WTO agreements in 1994, for example, U.S. agricultural exports have grown from $62 billion to nearly $176 billion in 2024, as export subsidies were eliminated, trade distorting subsidies and tariffs reduced, established tariff-rate quotas for some commodities, border procedures became more efficient, and non-tariff barriers subject to new rules minimized disguised protectionism. U.S. agricultural exports make up approximately 20% of U.S. farm income, and substantially more for certain products. This growth would not have been possible without the rules-based framework created by the WTO to support market-based international trade, which has become the basis for all U.S. free trade agreements.

Notwithstanding the concerns we share with the WTO, a more pressing risk is the enhanced  leadership role China is seeking  on the international stage, and specifically  within the WTO.  In recent years, China has stepped up as a leader in the WTO by filing an increasing number of disputes, coalescing developing countries’ positions related to e-commerce, and flaunting plurilateral negotiations on investment that could cement China’s leadership in both the organization and the Eastern Hemisphere.  Without a strong U.S. counter to China’s actions within the WTO, the organization and its rules risk being reduced to a vehicle for China’s continued economic and political growth internationally.

To continue feeding the world and growing food and agricultural products, the United States must step up and lead at the WTO.  Without the WTO, our country will lose critical market access for American food and agricultural exports, but more importantly, we will lose the opportunity to build rules that allow us to feed the world.  Challenges with the WTO’s functionality need not result in a closing of markets to U.S. food and agriculture goods, nor a crisis with the United States’ loss as a global leader within the WTO.  Rather, we should take this opportunity to refocus and  leverage the WTO in support of a market based global economy that makes America strong, safe and prosperous.

We therefore strongly urge you to maintain and strengthen the United States’ role in the WTO and adamantly oppose U.S. withdrawal from the WTO.  Thank you for your consideration of this request as its potential impact  to American food and agriculture is significant.

Sincerely,