President Donald Trump announced a historic trade agreement in principle with Prime Minister Keir Starmer of the United Kingdom on May 8. The timing was symbolic, coinciding with the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day. The deal is a major win for the United States and an especially significant breakthrough for American farmers and ranchers. Rural America, burdened by a $49 billion trade deficit at the start of the year, can finally exhale. This is also a beacon of hope for the future.
The agreement opens the door to $5 billion in new U.S. exports to the U.K., with major gains for our farmers, ranchers, and producers. It includes more than $700 million in ethanol exports and roughly $250 million in other agricultural goods, such as beef. Rice farmers across Louisiana, Arkansas, and other states stand to gain access to the U.K. market, possibly up to $100 million in unrestricted access. The agreement is consistent with policies within the America First Policy Institute’s Farmers First Agenda and State of the Farm Economy Fact Sheet, which call for expanding opportunities for exports of American agricultural products abroad, including through the elimination of other countries’ tariff and non-tariff trade barriers.
This deal does just that, eliminating U.K. non-tariff trade barriers. Other countries’ non-tariff barriers — international red tape designed to keep our products out of foreign markets — and their massive effects should be more frequently discussed in the legacy media. They are the standards used by other countries to block American goods, including our agricultural products. Geographic indicators, quota systems, and arbitrary health, animal welfare, and environmental regulations not rooted in sound science are all examples of non-tariff barriers.
The problem: The U.S. has failed to hold other countries to equal standards, and we’ve been too accepting of such treatment.
As the former ambassador to the United Nations food and agriculture agencies in Rome, I saw firsthand how these tactics disadvantage American producers. Europe’s tactics, especially, specifically its non-tariff trade barriers, have been used to control U.S. farmers’ and ranchers’ abilities to produce and export the safest and most affordable supplies of food, fiber, and energy in the world. Thankfully, Trump is addressing these threats to our export opportunities so quickly after taking office.
Just days after the U.K. agreement, the Trump administration also made progress on another key trade front: China. On May 12, the U.S. secured a 90-day agreement with China to reduce tariffs and halt retaliation. This sets the stage for further negotiations to expand access for American exports. The timing matters. The pause ends just before harvest, so farmers are counting on this strategy to yield real results soon.
China has also been using non-tariff trade barriers, blocking new U.S. corn and soybean products innovated by American companies. Trump seems on track to help mitigate these hurdles and further position U.S. farmers and ranchers to be among the most productive in the world.
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The larger need for a rebalance on U.S. trade strategy is abundantly clear, and thankfully, Trump is taking action. Just weeks ago, I returned from a very expansive tour of Brazil — my first visit in many years. Its productivity and scale have increased substantially, intentionally playing into Chinese demand. An America that doesn’t act on behalf of its farmers is an America that will be left behind on agricultural trade as markets rapidly evolve.
Farm country is counting on this administration to keep delivering. The past few weeks have offered a strong start. But we cannot afford to ease up. The future of American agriculture depends on staying in the fight.
Kip E. Tom served as the United States ambassador to the United Nations food and agriculture agencies in Rome from 2019 to 2021. He is vice chairman for rural policy at the America First Policy Institute.