Commentary: Valley farm produce must be shipped by carriers to overseas customers

On Jan. 25, 2021, President Joe Biden signed “Made in America” Executive Order 14005, designed to increase the amount of federal spending on products made by American companies. A few months later, members of Congress introduced bipartisan legislation addressing ship carriers delaying and refusing to transport American-made goods, which customers around the world ordered and are waiting for.

U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) stated, “The bill would level the playing field for American exporters by making it harder for ocean carriers to unreasonably refuse goods ready to export at ports … and producers across America are paying the price.”

“Companies looking to offload foreign-made products at West Coast ports must provide opportunities for American exports. Even during a global pandemic, trade must be mutually beneficial, and that is exactly what our bipartisan bill ensures,” said Rep. John Garamendi (D-Fairfield).

With more than 100 congressional co-sponsors, all stakeholders and elected officials from President Biden down to the neighborhood dog catcher should get involved and demand action now.

CNBC reported that shipping carriers last year rejected 178,000 U.S. agricultural export containers from the ports of Long Beach, Los Angeles, New Jersey, and New York during October and November. The shipping carriers refused American exports, but instead sent empty containers to China to be filled with Chinese exports. The estimated worth of the 178,000 containers was $632 million from just those four ports. In addition to these four ports, I would note reports of similar problems in Charleston, South Carolina, and Houston.

American leaders, business groups, elected officials, and organizations need to stand up for American workers, farmers, and businesses and hold accountable foreign carriers to accept our American goods.

American businesses found customers. American workers grew or made products. American truckers and railroads transported those goods to ports, and American longshoremen unloaded those goods. Now they sit on a dock while ships travel with empty containers instead of with American goods. American farmers don’t get paid to plant, pick, process, or transport to a shipping port in Oakland, Los Angeles, or Long Beach. They only get paid when those products are delivered to the customer.

Over a year has now passed since the Made in American order. I can respect and comprehend the enormous amount of pressure President Biden, his administration, and Congress is under with the Russian invasion of Ukraine. But we can’t sit idle and allow this import-export imbalance to continue hurting our economy and reputation. It’s time for other elected leaders on the federal and local levels to get involved and demand action now.

If this isn’t corrected this year, American workers, farms, and businesses will lose, and we will lose our global market share.

The White House and Congress need to force the issue, and our state governors should use their economic and political weight. California has the fifth-largest economy in the world. That should mean something when many of our businesses are mistreated, disrespected, and set up to fail by foreign companies profiting through this import-export imbalance.

Ted Gaines represents the Board of Equalization’s First District, which covers 61% of the state and has nearly 10 million people. Included in his district are Fresno, Madera, Kings and Tulare counties. Online: www.boe.ca.gov/Gaines.

This story was originally published March 8, 2022 at 11:10 AM.