Mar 1, 2019Trade with China: Perdue expresses optimism, but no mention of fresh potatoes
With recent news of China’s commitment to buying 10 million tons of U.S.-produced soybeans, Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue is expressing optimism regarding the ongoing trade talks between the two nations.
Perdue spoke with reporters during Commodity Classic in Orlando, Florida, on Friday, March 1. Perdue said he expects a lot more than just soybeans and grains to increase in trade from the U.S. to China if and when the two sides can reach a deal.
“I think you’ll see a broad array of agricultural commodities,” Perdue said. “Not only the cereals, feed grains, soybeans and sorghum, I think you may see rice, beef, livestock, ethanol, DDGS (distiller’s dried grains and solubles) — those kind of things.
“There’s a pretty broad swath there.”
A recent letter to President Donald Trump signed by 39 members of Congress urged him to include fresh potatoes in talks with China. It’s unknown if fresh potatoes — or any specialty crops — are on negotiators’ priority list. On Friday, Perdue only mentioned commodities.
