Press Release: U.S. Dry Bean Council Supports the U.S. Government Trade Agenda

August 5, 2016
Posted in: News

August 4, 2016

Miami, Florida

The U.S. Dry Bean Council (USDBC) unequivocally supports the U.S. Government’s trade agenda. As an industry that depends on exports for a significant percentage of sales, we support trade agreements that level the global playing field and provide new opportunities that result in robust export markets.

It’s common sense, as documented by USDA, that in countries where the United States has free trade agreements, exports of U.S. farm and food products have grown, more than 145 percent – from $24 billion to $59 billion. Tariff reductions, increased Tariff Rate Quotas (TRQs), and improved frameworks to resolve Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) issues based on sound science, have all directly benefited the US dry bean industry and helped our global competitiveness.

Rebecca Bratter, USDBC Executive Director noted, “FTAs are critical to our global competitiveness, Colombia is a perfect example of how trade deals translate to new export flows, we have been a direct beneficiary.” For this reason, we support full ratification of the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) as a critical piece of U.S. foreign and trade policy.

According to the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC), by 2032, TPP could increase U.S. exports by $7.2 billion annually and total agricultural output by $10 billion. If TPP is not ratified, it could mean a loss of over $4 billion annually in farm income. With our agricultural sector under strain from weather, a high dollar exchange rate, global economic slowdown, and continued competitive threats, we need TPP.

A strong Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) agreement, while not as far along as TPP, can also offer important benefits to the U.S. agricultural economy, with the potential to boost exports by over $9 billion annually (USDA/ERS). Trade deals are critical to the health of the U.S. agricultural sector. Our competitors continue to negotiate and sign new agreements. If we don’t do the same, we will get left behind.

For additional information contact Rebecca Bratter at Rebecca@. The U.S. Dry Bean Council is the national global export development arm of the U.S. dry bean industry, representing dry bean dealers, growers, and processors with the exclusive aim of increasing the consumption of U.S. dry beans worldwide.