National Corn Growers Association President Kenneth Hartman, Jr., testified before members of a trade panel established by the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office. He praised the administration for investigating Brazil’s trade practices and encouraged quick action to address any wrongdoing. “Unfortunately, Brazil does not value a level playing field and unfairly penalizes U.S. corn growers,” Hartman said. “Over the past decade, Brazil has taken targeted trade actions aimed at evaporating current and future demand for U.S. farmers.” The testimony took place after the USTR Office initiated a probe, under Section 301 of the 1974 Trade Act, to determine whether Brazil engaged in unfair trade practices. U.S. corn growers and ethanol producers once enjoyed a level playing field in Brazil until 2017, when Brazil imposed a 20 percent tariff on U.S. ethanol without provocation. “As soon as the tariff kicked in, the market was in free-fall decline for U.S. ethanol producers,” Hartman said.
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