WASHINGTON, DC, US — A coalition of agricultural organizations is raising concerns about the potential negative impact to US farmers of removing China’s Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) status, which the US Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party is considering recommending to Congress.

A letter sent to the select committee was led by Farmers for Free Trade, which counts many of the nation’s leading agricultural organizations as members. The coalition letter pointed out that in 2022, the United States exported $38.1 billion in food and agricultural products to China, a 22-fold increase since China gained PNTR status in 2000.

“China is now the largest buyer of US food and agricultural products, purchasing 19% of our exports,” the letter said. “These exports are critical to America’s farmers and rural communities. When trade frictions arise between our countries, those exports are threatened.”

While acknowledging committee concerns regarding China, the coalition said trade actions that pass the burden on to farmers to address those issues is the wrong approach. It said tariff increases in 2018 and 2019 led to the significant loss of US agricultural exports to retaliating partners with China accounting for 95% of the losses ($25.7 billion).

The coalition urged Congress instead to help bolster and diversify alternative market access in the Asia-Pacific region, saying that would decrease reliance on the Chinese market.

“As you finalize that report, we respectfully urge this important committee not to recommend revoking China’s PNTR status,” the coalition said. “The negative consequences for American farmers, ranchers and food producers would be profound and the economic impact on American workers and rural communities would be felt for years.”