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RFA Hails First Phase of U.S.–China Trade Agreement

January 15, 2020

Trade, White House

           

With today's signing of the first part of the new U.S.–China trade agreement, Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper released the following statement. "We are very optimistic about the potential of this agreement for American agriculture and the renewable fuels industry—with the inclusion of ethanol and key co-products like distillers grains—and are looking forward to more specific details on the agreement. America's ethanol producers have experienced significant economic losses due to punitive Chinese tariffs on our products, and we are eager to return to a more open trading relationship with China. Chinese consumers understand that using ethanol can lower fuel prices and help address major air quality concerns in urban areas across the country. In addition, the ethanol industry's animal feed co-products are an economical source of nutrition for China's livestock and poultry sector. "We hope this deal reopens the door immediately for meaningful exports of both ethanol and feed co-products to China, and we thank President Trump, the U.S. Trade Representative, and U.S. Department of Agriculture for their efforts to reopen the Chinese market to U.S. agricultural and energy products. And like President Trump in his remarks right before the signing, we also appreciate the hard work of Sens. Chuck Grassley, Joni Ernst and Deb Fischer as true champions for ethanol." "