“In Fact, Nearly $200 Billion in Goods Flow from Florida’s airports and Seaports Each Year.”
Highlights Progress Defending American Farmers, Expanding Market Access and Shrinking the Trade Deficit
WASHINGTON — Yesterday, Congressman Vern Buchanan, Vice Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee and a senior member of the Trade Subcommittee, questioned United States Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer during a full committee hearing on the Trump Administration’s 2026 Trade Policy Agenda, building on their shared commitment to protecting American workers, defending Florida’s growers and holding foreign competitors accountable.
During the hearing, Buchanan highlighted the unfair trade practices that have squeezed Florida farmers out of their own market, the urgent need to expand market access for American producers and the Trump Administration’s progress in shrinking the massive trade deficit inherited from the previous administration.
Buchanan emphasized that for too long, foreign countries have taken advantage of the United States and underscored the importance of continuing to build on President Trump’s reciprocal trade agenda to deliver lasting wins for American farmers, workers and businesses.
Click here to watch Congressman Buchanan’s remarks.
Here’s what Buchanan said about restoring fairness in American trade:
On protecting Florida farmers from unfair foreign competition
Buchanan: “International trade is crucial to my state, Florida, as well as the broader U.S. economy. In fact, nearly $200 billion in goods flow from Florida’s airports and seaports each year. Furthermore, agriculture is a cornerstone of Florida’s economy, and how we regulate imports has a direct impact on the future of our domestic producers. I was proud to be the lead Republican on the Trade Subcommittee when we negotiated and passed USMCA 1.0 in 2019, but I think there is a lot more work that needs to be done … As we look ahead, it’s important that we address areas where the agreement is not working as well as intended for American producers. … Mexico’s government-backed growth in fruit and vegetable production has significantly increased … compared to what Florida's been able to do. As I mentioned in a letter that I led to your office, I support seasonal tariff quotas to help level the playing field. Furthermore, your Section 301 investigation into Mexico’s overcapacity in manufacturing, would you consider expanding that review to include fruits and vegetables as well?”
Greer: “We have spoken about this issue before about seasonality. Obviously, we want to import fruits and vegetables … in seasons when we don’t make them. And that’s fine, but there are seasons when we do make them, and we need to make sure that there’s not unfair import competition during that period. We want to protect our farmers who make these specialty crops in Florida and elsewhere. I was in Mexico earlier this week, and I raised this issue specifically with the leadership there, and so we expect that this will be included in our USMCA negotiations.”
On reciprocity and expanding market access for American producers
Buchanan: “In terms of trading … at the end of the day, it should be somewhat fair, and our farmers have had some success, but the numbers are like five times greater … it’s a huge thing. … Unfortunately, during the four years of the previous administration, we failed to secure new trade agreements and did not address critical issues such as expanding market access for U.S. companies. While I’m glad to see that President Trump has taken action over the last year. What more can we do as members?”
Greer: "As Chairman Smith pointed out, he signaled his robust support for the tariffs that the President is imposing. All of these wins we’re talking about, all the dairy from California that’s going to go overseas, all the fruits and vegetables from Florida and other places that are going to go to foreign markets, all this new access it is not due to moral suasion. It’s not due to other countries just wanting to do us a solid. That’s not what it’s about. It’s because President Trump said, ‘I’m going to protect our markets, and I’m going to make sure that if you have access to the U.S. market, you give us effective access.’ It’s just reciprocity. That’s all it is, but we have to have support from Congress on this matter. We need to make sure that we can use this leverage appropriately to have fair market access.”
On shrinking the trade deficit
Buchanan: “You touched on the trade deficit. I think it was … $1.2 trillion. what is it today?”
Greer: “If you look at the end of calendar year 2025, it was about the same. But if you look at it since we imposed tariffs in April to February, if you compare it, it’s gone down by about 24 percent, the trade deficit.”
Buchanan: “In terms of trade, at the end of the day, it needs to be somewhat fair. … I see a lot of our countries we work with, we’ve got good relationships with, but the trade deficits are monstrous. Some of the smaller countries, that’s one thing, but some of the big countries … really do take advantage of us. And I just think at the end of the day, they need to buy. If we’re buying a bunch of cars from them or whatever we’re buying, they need to be buying our beef and other things. It needs to be fair at the end of the day. That’s how I look at it. It needs to be a win-win. It hasn’t been, but we need to continue to move in this direction.”
Buchanan has been a strong advocate for fair trade and supporting American businesses. As the former Chairman of the Trade Subcommittee on Ways and Means, Buchanan helped oversee negotiations for the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA). He recently led a letter to President Trump urging the administration to negotiate temporary tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) for fruits and vegetables as part of the upcoming United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) Joint Review. Buchanan also previously introduced the Defending Domestic Produce Protection Act to help Florida fruit and vegetable growers combat illegal seasonal dumping and Mexico’s unfair trade practices.
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