Congressman Adam Gray Introduces Legislation to Protect American Farmers from Retaliatory Tariffs

WASHINGTON, DC – As blanket tariffs disrupt our economy, markets crash and recession risks increase, Congressman Adam Gray (D-Merced) introduced his first bill in the House of Representatives today to defend America’s farmers against the effects of potential retaliation from our global trading partners.

The Stop Raising Prices on Food Act would revoke the President’s power to impose tariffs on agricultural products without congressional approval, protecting farmers from increased operating costs and decreased productivity related to retaliatory tariffs. Congressman Gray, representative for the world’s largest agricultural region, released the following statement upon introduction of the bill.

“San Joaquin Valley farmers feed the world,” said Congressman Gray. “Reckless tariffs stand to threaten not only our nation’s food security, but California’s economy as well. The last time sweeping tariffs went into effect, specialty crop growers and agricultural producers in the Valley lost millions of dollars in revenue. We can’t afford to let it happen again.

“Valley farmers know that tariffs are a tax on producers and consumers. We know tariffs will punish our families and our communities. Rather than support our agricultural producers, Washington politicians have hiked costs in service of their partisan games and stuck Valley farmers with the bill.”

The Stop Raising Prices on Food Act would require congressional approval before tariffs could be applied to any country that represents a top five export market for US agricultural products.

The American Farm Bureau estimates that new retaliatory tariffs from Canada, Mexico and China alone could impact nearly $30 billion in agricultural exports.

According to the Department of Agriculture, California lost an estimated $683 million in crop revenue due to retaliatory tariffs following President Trump’s 2018 import duties on major trading partners. The most significant losses were concentrated in California’s processed and fresh fruits ($374 million), tree nuts ($199 million) and dairy products ($68 million), all top exports from the five counties comprising Congressman Gray’s congressional district.

Overall, the Department of Agriculture estimates that American farmers lost over $27 billion in agricultural exports as a result of retaliatory tariffs from 2018 to 2019.

Read the full text of the bill here.

Source: Adam Gray, CA Congressional District 13