Conaway: WTO Victory Underscores Ongoing Need to Hold China Accountable
Washington, D.C. – House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member K. Michael Conaway (TX-11) made the following statement about the World Trade Organization’s findings that China is illegally subsidizing its grain producers to the detriment of America’s farmers and ranchers.
“If there is any lingering doubt as to why the United States needs strong farm policy, this WTO ruling removes that doubt. China illegally subsidized just three crops to the tune of $100 billion in a single year, more than the entire U.S. farm safety net costs over the life of the farm bill. I commend President Trump for being vigilant in insisting that other countries live by the same rules we do in the United States. Free trade does not exist without everyone playing by the same rules. I especially want to thank Ambassador Lighthizer and Secretary Perdue for their extraordinary work to ensure a win for the American farmer and rancher in the WTO.”
Under then-Chairman Conaway, the House Agriculture Committee held two full committee hearings (June 2015 and October 2015) highlighting foreign agricultural subsidies and their detrimental, trade-distorting impact on American agricultural producers. In September 2016, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) requested that the WTO establish a dispute settlement panel to consider whether China exceeded its allowable subsidy limits on corn, rice, and wheat. Today, the WTO released the panel report agreeing with the United States that China provided domestic support to its agricultural producers in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, well in excess of its WTO commitments. In contrast, it is worth noting that the United States continues to abide by the limits it agreed to in the WTO. You can find additional background on the case here.
