German Ag minister visits Washington

German Federal Minister for Agriculture, Food and Regional Identity Alois Rainer visited Washington this week.

On the first visit of a German agriculture minister to Washington in 10 years, Rainer met with Deputy Agriculture Stephen Vaden, Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman, R-Ark., and House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson, R-Pa. He was also the guest at a reception at the German ambassador’s reception to promote German wines.

In a news release, Rainer’s office noted that he made the trip because the United States is “the largest sales market for German agricultural products outside Europe and at the same time an important source of agricultural raw materials such as feed, fruit, and nuts.”

In the release, the ministry also noted that the discussion with Vaden “focused on the practical implementation and one-year postponement of the EUDR,” [European Union Deforestation Regulation], which the EU member states decided this week to delay for a year. The EUDR sets strict rules on supply chain traceability and sourcing transparency, requiring businesses to prove that imported or traded goods are not linked to deforestation.

In the discussion with Vaden “it became clear that reducing the bureaucratic burden for companies on both sides of the Atlantic is of central importance,” the ministry said. “Germany and the U.S. want to move forward together on this.”

Rainer also made the case for reducing existing export restrictions for meat exports resulting from foot-and-mouth disease, the ministry added.

After a meeting with The Hagstrom Report, Rainer said in the release, “My talks with Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden were marked by great mutual respect. We agreed to further deepen our cooperation in the agricultural sector and significantly intensify the dialogue on export and import issues.”

Before the meetings in Washington, the delegation visited Nebraska. Senior representatives of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Regional Identity, along with the business and association delegation, held talks with Gov. Jim Pillen and Agriculture Secretary Sherry Vinton and visited a German agricultural machinery company and the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

Due to a technical malfunction with the German air force transport service, Rainer was unable to travel to Omaha.

German products are subjected to the 15% tariff that President Trump has imposed on European products. A representative of the German wine industry noted at the reception that the tariffs make it harder to sell German wine in the United States.

At the reception, the wine was served by Brent Kroll, owner of three bars in Washington.

-The Hagstrom Report