News

FAS Administrator talks trade in Indiana

During a meeting with members of Indiana’s ag industry, USDA Foreign Agricultural Services Administrator Phil Karsting told attendees Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) needs to be renewed because it is a critical tool used in successfully negotiating free trade agreements. “Having Trade Promotion Authority strengthens our negotiators,” he says.  “As you can imagine, in any negotiation, some of the most difficult issues are left to the end.  Having an added boost to our negotiators to be able to go in and be able to deliver – knowing that we have a process in place to move a final deal – strengthens their ability to negotiate good deals.”

Foreign Agricultural Services Administrator Phil Karsting

Every President since Franklin D. Roosevelt has had Trade Promotion Authority except for President Obama since 2012.  The Obama administration has been seeking TPA renewal from Congress since then. TPA prevents Congress from amending trade deals – allowing only for an up or down vote by lawmakers.

Greentown, Indiana farmer Denny Maple says international trade means another market for his crops.  “Every other row of soybeans goes to foreign trade,” he says.  “A big percentage of our livestock industry, pork especially, is being shipped overseas to the Asian market.  It reaffirms that we need that trade policy established.”

Indiana farmer Denny Maple

Negotiations continue on two major Free Trade Agreements, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership.   Allen County, Indiana farmer Don Wyss says the agriculture industry needs those FTAs.  “We have a situation where the crop sizes are growing and we need to continue to keep these open avenues for exports around the world,” he says.

Indiana farmer Don Wyss

According to USDA’s most recent calculations, Indiana’s agricultural exports reached $4.8 billion, ranking it 8^th among the 50 states.