Trade Agreement Would Give Boost to Texas Agriculture

Trade must be a priority so that we can continue to promote our agricultural products and other “Made in Texas” goods around the world.

I know folks in West Texas can appreciate more than most the significant role agriculture plays in our state’s economy.

Farming and ranching have been part of our livelihood for generations. Even as Texas continues to draw high-tech companies to cities throughout our state, we have maintained our heritage that ties us to this land.

Today, one out of every seven working Texans works in an ag-related job.

Of course, Texas agriculture doesn’t just affect our state. Our crops and livestock have made Texas a champion exporter of goods around the world, and our farms, ranches, and businesses — some 41,000 of them — lead the nation in exports.

The Plains Cotton Cooperative Association reports their cotton alone was exported to 10 different countries last year — from Turkey to Vietnam to Venezuela. And West Texas sorghum exports have grown more than 360 percent since 2012 — with the outstanding growth attributed to rising sales in Asia.

Our state’s reliance on markets outside our borders means trade must be a priority so that we can continue to promote our agricultural products and other “Made in Texas” goods around the world.

Recently, the U.S. Senate passed Trade Promotion Authority legislation. If passed by the full Congress, this bill will give Texans a voice in upcoming trade agreements being negotiated with countries along the Pacific Rim and in Europe.

Trade Promotion Authority ensures the American people, through their elected representatives, have a say in what goes into — and what stays out of — U.S. trade deals with countries around the world.

As your representative in Washington, I am fighting for Texas agriculture, businesses and industries to have even greater access to new markets.

One of the agreements that would be considered under TPA authority is the Trans-Pacific Partnership, or TPP. The TPP would include 11 other countries across the Pacific Rim, from Southeast Asia to South America. This trade deal would be particularly good for products that have a long-standing tradition in our state, such as agriculture.

Agreements such as the TPP will give Texas farmers and ranchers more opportunities to sell their goods to new customers in other countries.

For example, as the nation’s leader in beef production, Texas beef makes up almost one-sixth of the nation’s total beef exports. Asian countries are major markets for Texas beef, with Japan importing the most of any country.

While Japan, like many Asian nations, currently has high tariffs on U.S. beef products, the TPP would help bring those costs down, and put more Texas beef on tables in Japan and other nations throughout the region.

In addition to beef, other Texas commodities like cotton, petroleum products and other crop and livestock products will likely see increased demand when more readily available on global markets.

TPA will also open doors for companies like BC Supply in Lubbock to export more Texas-made cotton gins and machinery all over the world.

As your voice in Washington, I will continue to work diligently to make sure Texas builds on its tradition of being an exporter of world-class goods.

By opening up more international opportunities for Texas goods and services, our economy can continue to grow, and Texas commodities such as beef and cotton can become staples in fast-growing Asian markets.

That would be good for Texas jobs, good for better wages, and good for hardworking Texas families.


Originally published in the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal.

Issues: 
TexasGOPVote
 

© 2015 TexasGOPVote  | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy