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America’s positive balance of agricultural trade was in the hands of U.S. Senators at press time. They were being asked to grant Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) to the White House. Last year, the United States exported $52.7 billion in agricultural goods and imported $39.0 billion, creating an agriculture trade surplus exceeding $13 billion.

Every president over the last 25 years has had authority to negotiate trade agreements with approval, but not amendments, by Congress. Farm Bureau believes TPA is needed to break down foreign trade barriers and create markets and jobs through government-to-government negotiations.

The House passed, by a single vote, a bill to grant TPA. Farm Bureau was encouraging Senators to finalize the issue in a timely manner. Heading into the vote, Both Ohio Senators DeWine and Voinovich were expected to be supportive of Farm Bureau’s position.