Federal officials would coordinate challenges to barriers facing farm exports

The President would form a task force to identify trade barriers and carry out an enforcement strategy. The group would include Agriculture Department and U.S. trade office staff, with other federal staff added at either agency’s discretion. The barriers must be open to challenge under World Trade Organization rules or other U.S. trade agreements. The task force would seek partner countries and consult businesses, other agencies, and potential partner countries as needed and appropriate. The President would have to establish the task force within 30 days after enactment.

The task force would send Congress regular reports on trade barriers and efforts to challenge them. Reports would explain why identified barriers matter, progress on cases, missing information, and whether trade rulings are being carried out. Confidential details would be removed from reports. The U.S. trade representative and agriculture secretary would brief Congress, its staff, and cleared advisers on those details. The first report would be due within 90 days after enactment, with reports at least quarterly afterward.

The task force would prepare a plan to challenge India’s farm price supports through the World Trade Organization. The plan would identify the intended U.S. claims and other member countries approached about joining the case. The plan would include a schedule for requesting formal talks and a dispute panel. The panel schedule would apply if India offers no satisfactory path to follow trade rules within 60 days of receiving the request for talks. The plan would be part of the first report, due within 90 days after enactment.