Duvall Talks Shipping Reform and Supply Challenges with President Biden

American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall spoke with President Biden today to discuss several challenges farmers and ranchers are facing and the importance of final Congressional action on the Ocean Shipping Reform Act to address the backlog at our ports.

“I had a good discussion with President Biden today about several issues, including the importance of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act to America’s farmers and ranchers. He wholeheartedly agreed that we must get past the bottleneck at our ports to get America back on the move and that means breaking the logjam on Capitol Hill. The President thanked farmers and ranchers for weighing-in on the need for reform and I assured him that we will continue pressing hard for passage of a final bill now that both Houses of Congress have cleared versions of it with overwhelming bipartisan support.

“Ongoing supply chain issues and record-high shipping costs have limited agricultural exports at a time when our trading partners need us more than ever. As I told the President today, estimates suggest we’ve lost out on more than $25 billion in agricultural exports over the past six months due to ocean shipping constraints. That’s unacceptable.

“America’s farmers and ranchers need the House and Senate to work together and get this bill across this finish line and make our ocean transportation system more competitive and efficient so we can continue putting dinner on the table for families in America and overseas.

“We also discussed the uncertainty farmers and ranchers are facing with limited supplies and skyrocketing prices of the fuel and fertilizer needed to grow food. President Biden assured me he knows farmers are hurting and he's interested in learning more. He invited me to bring some folks to the White House so we can roll up our sleeves and work together to address the challenges facing farmers and ranchers.”