Ross, who serves as ranking member of the Livestock and Horticulture Subcommittee, spent the weekend meeting with agriculture and trade officials from around the globe, and says despite the breakdown in reaching a trade agreement, he is optimistic about future trade possibilities. 

“We’ve got to pass an agreement that will work for our nation, and for our farm families in Arkansas as well,” Ross said.  “That’s what I was fighting for.  The World Trade Organization is made up of 148 member countries that differ greatly in their trade philosophies; it’s hard to get all of them to agree on one proposal.  The first trade agreement took eight years to complete, and the second agreement is only in its fourth year.  Hopefully we can work out our differences and come up with a plan that will be beneficial to all – no agreement is better than a bad agreement.  

“However, our farm families can’t wait that long.  I think we should pursue a dual course; we should continue to work with the WTO to get our farm families greater market access, and we should form bilateral agreements in the meantime that work for our farm families, opening new markets one country or region at a time.  I have come away from this experience with a wealth of knowledge about international trade as it relates to the agriculture industry, and I will continue working for fair trade for our farm families.”