Wisconsin Ag Connection - National/World News - Wheat Groups Urge Administration Not to Withdraw from KORUS

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Wheat Groups Urge Administration Not to Withdraw from KORUS
USAgNet - 09/06/2017

U.S. Wheat Associates and the National Association of Wheat Growers strongly urge the Trump Administration not to withdraw from the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement, or KORUS.

"We believe it would be irresponsible to unilaterally walk away from this or any other trade agreement," said Mike Miller, USW Chairman and a wheat grower from Ritzville, Wash. "Withdrawing raises the specter of retaliation against agricultural exports and creates unnecessary uncertainty in the market. Any disruption in the relationship wheat growers have built in Korea over more than 60 years gives Australia, Canada and even Russia an opening to move in and take business away from us at a time when we are all struggling to stay profitable. KORUS, like the North American Free Trade Agreement, has been very good for American agriculture."

"We think this trade agreement, negotiated in good faith and strongly supported in Congress, reinforces the Administration's stated goal to sell more agricultural products overseas," said David Schemm, NAWG President and a wheat grower from Sharon Springs, Kan. "We support finding ways to improve any agreement, but let's do that in a reasoned and respectful way, with input from all stakeholders so U.S. wheat farmers can gain greater access to world markets."

Korea was the third largest volume importer of U.S. wheat in marketing year 2016/17.

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