Ag Groups Insist Agriculture Be Included in EU Trade Deal

A coalition of food and agriculture groups insist that any future trade agreement between the U.S. and the European Union include agriculture. The groups also want the agreement to address the EU’s restrictive tariff and non-tariff barriers to U.S. farm products. Those 53 organizations sent a letter to the Office of U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer. They want the administration to continue stressing to the EU that only a truly comprehensive agreement will be acceptable to the administration and the U.S. Congress. The EU has openly expressed reluctance to include agriculture in any future trade agreement with the U.S. An agreement would require the EU to lift import barriers that protect their farmers and remove regulatory measures that are scientifically unjustified or overly restrictive. Because of those barriers, the U.S. had a trade deficit at nearly $11 billion last year, and it’s only increased over the years. The trade deficit with the EU was $1.8 billion back in 2000.