The New York Farm Bureau, along with the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Commissioner, Richard Ball, and Farmers for Free Trade gathered at the New York State Fair on Thursday to discuss their concerns.

According to the group, a number of New York commodities – including dairy, soybeans, wine, maple and apples – face retaliatory tariffs in several countries including China, Canada, Mexico and in the European Union.

“We understand that trade agreements may need to be updated, but we have to be careful not to damage the relationships that we already have and depend on,” said New York Farm Bureau President David Fisher. “We are encouraging our leaders in Washington, to move quickly at getting the parties back to the negotiating table, much like we have seen this week with Mexico, and to move forward on improving trade relations with our partners.”

As a result, prices for those products have fallen, while equipment prices are rising due to steel and aluminum tariffs.

As a result, the group say farmers are concerned about losing long established markets as countries turn to other, cheaper sources for their food.

“The tariffs being imposed on our agricultural commodities are compounding an already difficult marketplace and putting New York’s farmers in a precarious situation.  Once these markets are lost, we could find it extremely difficult to regain that footing. We have an opportunity here to collaborate with our partners and to call for new free trade agreements and thoughtful, long-term solutions,” said Ball.

Rep. Tom Reed (R-Corning)

WASHINGTON – Congressman Tom Reed (R-Corning, NY 23) is offering his thoughts on the $12 billion farm relief package being proposed by the Donald Trump administration through the U.S. Department of Agriculture.  The aid is intended to provide short term financial assistance struggling farmers as they deal with retaliatory tariffs keeping their products from being shipped overseas.

The tariffs that have been imposed by China, Mexico, and other countries are in direct response to tariffs that have been imposed by President Trump as he tries to “level the playing field” for American business.

Reed said he supports the $12 billion aid package, adding that he also supports the president’s strategy of disrupting international trade in an effort to give the U.S. a better long-term deal.

“This trade policy by the Trump administration is a new, disruptive force, but we recognize as you go down this disruptive path, there are going to be some potential short term consequences to it, and our farming communities are an example of that potential impact,” Reed said. “So having the [$12 billion] relief that the president has put on the table is a recognition of this by the administration and I’m supportive of it. It says to those farmers seeing the negative effects of this trade policy on the short term, that we will give them the relief and stand with them as we go through this.”

Specific details on how the $12 billion will be allocated have not been provided, but Reed said some of that money will go to help dairy farmers and other growers in the 23^rd congressional district.

Meanwhile the New York Farm Bureau has said it would prefer the president work to lift the tarrifs that have been imposed, rather than provide short-term relief aid.

“Secretary Perdue has followed up on his word to address the huge impact that this has had on farmers, which is reflected in the size of the relief program. However, in the end, what our farmers are asking for are open markets to sell the quality products they produce. We hope that the trade matter will quickly be resolved because short term relief can only go so far when farmers need to plan for the long term, said David Fisher, New York Farm Bureau President in a statement released earlier this week.

Rep. Tom Reed (R-Corning)

WASHINGTON – Congressman Tom Reed (R-Corning, NY 23) said that he’s not overly concerned with a trade war brewing between the United States and China.

During Monday’s conference call with regional media, WRFA ask the congressman his reaction to the news that China would impose tariffs on $3 billion worth of US exports including fruit, wine, pork and steel pipes. The Chinese tariffs were a response to tariffs President Donald Trump imposed last month on steel and aluminum from China and other countries.

Reed said the response by China is not unexpected.

“As we go down this trade agenda that is being deployed by the administration, that clearly is disruptive and wants to change the status quo of our trade position – be it with China and other trading partners, we anticipate this type of action. Bottom line is, I think people want access more to the American market and the economy that is represented in the American market and I think that will represent us well as we go through this process,” Reed said.

Reed also said that the effort by President Trump to make trade between the U.S. and other foreign countries more balanced is already paying off dividends.

“I will remind you that just as we potentially will have these impacts with China, which we don’t have a trade agreement with, just Korea alone is something to learn from these tariffs that the President is pursuing, Reed said. “We had favorable results with South Korea, renegotiating that trade agreement that allowed us more access for our steel products being exported from America, as well as our milk products, which is something very, very much I’m sensitive to here in the district. We’ve got to make sure there marketplaces – be it China, Korea, or elsewhere around the world – have a basis of trade that’s based on fairness and enforcement, to make sure we have an even playing field to play upon.”

Also during his conference call, Reed responded to the brewing controversy about the upcoming census, which will reportedly include a question about a person’s citizenship. Reed said he feels the census needs to get an accurate count of all U.S. citizens in different states in order to properly reflect representation in Washington. As a result, he doesn’t feel the question is overly intrusive or off-base.

Tom Reed (left) and Donald Trump

WASHINGTON – Chautauqua County’s representative in Congress says he support President Donald Trump’s plan to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum.

On Tuesday Rep. Tom Reed (R-Corning, NY 23) held a conference call with regional media, saying he supports the president’s call to impose a tax of 25 percent on imported steel and a 10 percent tax on aluminum.

“Overall I am supportive of what the president trying to do in regards to the imposition of these tariffs,” Reed said. “What I think is afoot here is an effort to send a message to our trading partners is that we’re going to put America’s interests just as equally on the table as our trading partners are and we are going to negotiate our future trade agreement in a much more aggressive and vigorous manner to protect critical industries that make up the American marketplace.”

Reed also said that he’s heard concerns from some local manufacturers in the district, but says he believes the move will better position manufacturing operations in the long run.

“There has been some concerns expressed and it has been consistent with what has been widely reported across the country, in regards to supply chain disruptions, retaliatory actions by trading partners, the lack of ability to secure supply chains to allow them to operate, and I full understand that… but the reality is we cannot maintain the status quo and expect things to change,” Reed said.

Reed’s support of the president counters some of his Republican colleagues in the House, including Speaker Paul Ryan, who’s already come out against the plan.

“Obviously I am challenging where the House and the speaker and leadership want to go, but I’m comfortable with that because I believe in the outcome that will be achieved here. It will be better for the folks back home and the American people as a whole and I am supportive of this disruptive affect that the president is engaging in,” Reed said.

The tariffs can be imposed unilaterally by the Trump administration because they are an executive function of the president and not of Congress.