In a list of goals last week, the European Union left out agriculture for its upcoming negotiations with the United States. An expected move, the action starts the talks off on a sour note as agriculture was one of the objectives for the United States.
The Trump Administration goals included a desire to “secure comprehensive market access for U.S. agricultural goods by eliminating tariffs and non-tariff barriers for farm goods,” according to Politico. A deal without agriculture has little U.S. support from lawmakers.
Also last week, U.S. Representative Roger Marshal of Kansas said in an editorial that if agriculture isn’t in the deal, he and other in Congress “will not consider it or support it.” In the editorial, Marshall urged the Trump Administration to continue to fight for farmers in the trade negotiations. According to the U.S. Trade Representative, the U.S. domestic exports of agricultural products to the EU totaled $11.5 billion in 2016.
