Fedorchak discusses trade, input costs, and Farm Bill with North Dakota Farmers Union

Washington, D.C. - This week, Congresswoman Julie Fedorchak (R-ND) welcomed 24 ag producers and leaders to Washington, D.C., as part of the North Dakota Farmers Union's (NDFU) annual visit to the U.S. Capitol. The group, representing a wide range of commodities, discussed the challenges facing farmers in today's changing markets and the opportunities ahead to strengthen North Dakota agriculture.

"North Dakota farmers are second to none. They help feed and fuel the world, but right now they're being squeezed from every direction," Fedorchak said. "As President Trump works to negotiate a fair long-term trade deal with China, my team is closely working with the administration in every way possible to address this situation. That includes diversifying our foreign markets, expanding domestic markets, and providing supplemental support as necessary."

During the meeting, farmers raised concerns about the lack of export contracts for soybeans being harvested this fall and the lack of storage for the soybeans due to multiple severe summer storms.

Fedorchak shared updates from a meeting she organized with Julie Callahan, Assistant U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) for Agricultural Affairs and Commodity Policy, and the North Dakota Trade Office, Office of the North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring, North Dakota Farm Bureau, North Dakota Soybean Growers, and the Office of Governor Kelly Armstrong. She also recently spoke with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent about the ongoing negotiations with China and the impact of China's actions on North Dakota soybean growers.

Fedorchak underscored that China has long weaponized agriculture against U.S. producers and emphasized the need for both immediate and long-term strategies. Fedorchak outlined her three-part approach: Trade enforcement and diversification, expanding domestic markets, and supplemental support as necessary.

Fedorchak emphasized four other key initiatives to address the situation:

• Expanding biofuels: As Co-Chair of the Congressional Biofuels Caucus, she highlighted the importance of growing domestic demand for American-grown fuels like biodiesel and year-round E15, and how she's pushing to make these fuels available nationwide rather than shipping them to California.
• Challenging unfair trade:She voiced support for the USTR investigation into Brazil's unfair trade practices that have allowed it to dominate China's market.
• Completing the Farm Bill:She expressed optimism that Congress will finalize a full Farm Bill this fall.
• Strengthening farm and family policies: She underscored provisions already passed in the Working Families Tax Cut Plan, including long-term certainty for crop insurance, strengthened reference prices, and doubled funding for export assistance.

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