{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/daines-fights-for-montana-agriculture", "Daines Fights for Montana Agriculture", "2017-11-17", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "MT", "Steve Daines", "D000618", "www.daines.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "11.17.17\n\t\t\t Daines Fights for Montana Agriculture \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tU.S. SENATE\u00a0\u2014U.S. Senator Steve Daines\u00a0today led\u00a0seven Senators from the Northern Plains and Pacific Northwest\u00a0in sending\u00a0a letter to United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary\u00a0Sonny\u00a0Perdue and United States Trade Representative (USTR)\u00a0Robert\u00a0Lighthizer, urging them to address India\u2019s unfair trade practices affecting American dry pea producers.\r\nThe letter\u00a0calls on\u00a0Indian Prime Minister Modi to reverse or delay the implementation of a 50 percent tariff on all dry pea imports\u00a0and requests that until such actions are taken, USDA take appropriate steps to mitigate the negative impacts of the tariff on farmers.\u00a0\u00a0\r\n\u201cIndia is the top export market for U.S. dry peas,\u201d\u00a0the Members wrote.\u00a0\u201cUnless this decision is reversed or mitigated, it will have a devastating impact on the U.S. dry pea industry. To mitigate these initial impacts, we urge that you request the Government of India to reverse its decision, or at least delay imposing it for 90 days to allow shipments under existing contracts to be delivered.\u201d\r\nThe letter was also signed by Sens. Tester (MT), Risch (ID), Heitkamp (ND), Hoeven (ND), Cantwell (WA), Crapo (ID), and Murray (WA).\r\nThe letter is available below and to download\u00a0HERE.\r\nThe Honorable Sonny Perdue\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Honorable Robert Lighthizer\r\nSecretary \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Ambassador\r\nU.S. Department of Agriculture\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Office of the U.S. Trade Representative\r\n1400 Independence Ave., S.W.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 600 17th\u00a0St., N.W.\r\nWashington, D.C. 20250\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Washington, D.C. 20508\r\nDear Secretary Perdue and Ambassador Lighthizer:\r\nWe write to request your assistance in addressing a serious market disruption that is affecting U.S. dry pea producers and processors in the Pacific Northwest and Northern Plains.\u00a0On November 8, 2017, the Government of India announced that all imports of dry peas will be subject to a 50 percent tariff, effective immediately, including shipments under contract and in transit. India is the top export market for U.S. dry peas, purchasing an average of 200,000 tons, or 30 percent of U.S. exports, per year. Unless this decision is reversed or mitigated, it will have a devastating impact on the U.S. dry pea industry.\r\nThe imposition of such an increase without notice has caused cash dry pea prices to collapse in the United States. Furthermore, exporters with shipments currently en route will suffer severe financial hardship when the tariff is applied to their product upon arrival.\u00a0To mitigate these initial impacts, we urge that you request the Government of India to immediately reverse its decision, or at least delay imposing it for 90 days to allow shipments under existing contracts to be delivered.\u00a0\r\nIn the event India continues to impose this highly-disruptive trade measure, we ask the U.S. Department of Agriculture to use discretionary authorities, as appropriate, to purchase dry peas that otherwise would have been exported to India during the current marketing year. These authorities include 7 U.S.C. 612c (Section 32) to purchase surplus commodities that would otherwise depress domestic prices, and sales or donations under domestic or international food assistance programs. \u00a0\r\nWe look forward to working with you to mitigate the impact of this unanticipated and devastating action by the Government of India on U.S. dry pea producers and processors.\r\n\u00a0###\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n  \n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/daines-fights-for-montana-agriculture"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.9306140709668398, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}