Congressmen call on USDA head to visit Taiwan

美國國會議員呼籲美國農業部部長訪問台灣

Representatives say Taiwan is ideal market for increased US farm exports


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Two US lawmakers on April 2 sent a letter to USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins urging her to include Taiwan in her itinerary of international trade visits.

On March 28, the USDA announced that Rollins would visit six international markets in six months to expand market access to US agricultural exports. The announcement mentioned a USDA trade mission in Taiwan, but the country was not included in the places that Rollins would visit.

Representatives Tom Tiffany and Andy Ogles sent Rollins a letter encouraging her to include Taiwan in her travel plans. The lawmakers pointed out that Taiwan is the seventh largest trading partner of the US and has an economy ranked second in Asia in net financial assets per capita.

The representatives pointed out that Taiwan was rated the 14th richest country last year, making it “an ideal market for increased US farm exports.” They pointed out that Taiwan is already a major buyer of US wheat, soybeans, and corn, and it has expressed interest in increasing its purchases of US agricultural products by announcing plans to send a goodwill trade delegation to the US later this year.

They noted that Taiwan's government has pledged financial assistance to farm businesses that import US animal feed. The lawmakers said a visit to Taiwan would open more opportunities to US farmers and ranchers.

The lawmakers pointed out that the Taiwan Travel Act, passed in 2018, encourages high-level meetings between senior US and Taiwanese officials, such as a cabinet-level delegation sent by Trump in 2020. They said Rollins has an opportunity to “expand on that historic progress by making such a visit in the coming months.”

The representatives closed by stressing the importance of demonstrating the US' shared commitment to prosperity and security. They said a bilateral meeting with Taiwanese counterparts would “help cement this friendship while maximizing tangible benefits for America’s hardworking farm families.”