20 U.S. House members seek end of Brazil’s ethanol tariffs

News

20 U.S. House members seek end of Brazil’s ethanol tariffs

Several Members of Congress have asked the U.S. Trade Representative to seek an agreement terminating Brazil’s ethanol tariff rate quota.

The letter to Robert Lighthizer was authored by Darin LaHood of Illinois and Adrian Smith of Nebraska and has eighteen co-signers.

The letter says Brazil has increasingly implemented protectionist trade policy after years of low or zero duties on ethanol imports.  The Brazilian duties include a 20% tariff for every gallon above the quota. 

The letter says ethanol accounts for nearly half of all U.S. agricultural exports to Brazil and they want Lighthizer to create a level playing field for U.S. ethanol.  The members say Brazilian purchases peaked in 2018 and are down 32%, with sales likely to decline even more this year.

Members of Congress signing the letter include:

Roger Marshall, MD.      Kansas                 R

Don Bacon                        Nebraska            R

Jim Hagedorn                  Minnesota         R

Mike Bost                         Illinois                 R

Cindy Axne                       Iowa                    D

Rodney Davis                   Illinois                 R

Vicky Hartzler                  Missouri             R

Pete Stauber                    Minnesota         R

Jeff Fortenberry              Nebraska            R

Ron Estes                          Kansas                R

Collin Peterson                Minnesota         D

Dusty Johnson                 South Dakota    R

Adam Kinzinger               Illinois                 R

Cheri Bustos                     Illinois                 D

John Shimkus                   Illinois                 R

Dave Loebsack                 Iowa                    D

Tom Emmer                     Minnesota         R

James Baird                      Indiana               R

.