President Donald J. Trump announced, on the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe, a new trade agreement in principle that will lower tariffs, remove trade barriers, increase market access, and strengthen cooperation on economic security. The President secured major wins for American agriculture. This deal provides significant expansion in U.S. market access in the UK, creating a $5 billion opportunity for new exports for U.S. stakeholders, including U.S. farmers, ranchers, and producers. After the announcement, several ag groups issued responses.
AMERICAN FARM BUREAU FEDERATION
American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall also commented on the announced trade deal between the United States and the United Kingdom.
“Farm Bureau appreciates the work between the administration and the United Kingdom to secure a new trade agreement. We have long advocated for new trade deals, and this is an important first step in expanding markets in the four countries. More work is needed, however, to remove the arbitrary barriers that have excluded American-grown food from grocery stores in the U.K.
“America’s farmers and ranchers grow the safest and most affordable food in the world. We’re encouraged by progress to create market opportunities for farmers. We urge the administration to build on this success to pursue more trade agreements and resolve current disputes, so farmers can continue to feed families here at home and overseas.”
NATIONAL CATTLEMEN’S BEEF ASSOCIATION
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) announced support for President Donald Trump’s trade agreement-in-principle with the United Kingdom (U.K.). Most importantly, the agreement includes market access for beef. This announcement follows years of NCBA’s hard work building the foundation for a trade deal with the U.K., including numerous meetings with British industry stakeholders, Members of Parliament, the British Embassy, the U.K. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and other top British authorities.
“With this trade deal, President Trump has delivered a tremendous win for American family farmers and ranchers,” said NCBA President Buck Wehrbein, a Nebraska cattleman. “For years, American cattle producers have seen the United Kingdom as an ideal partner for trade. Between our countries’ shared history, culture, and their desire for high-quality American beef, securing a trade agreement is a natural step forward. Thank you President Trump for fighting for American cattle producers.”
NCBA has spent years advocating for expanded trade with the U.K. When the U.K. left the European Union in 2020, that opened the door to secure trade agreements with countries like the United States. British and American cattle producers share similar values and British consumers also enjoy American beef.
Background
For the past few years, NCBA members have participated in several meetings both domestically and abroad with senior British government officials to educate them on our production practices and the unique attributes of our product. In 2022, the British Ambassador to the U.S., Dame Karen Pierce, attended the 2022 CattleCon and spoke to attendees about the importance of strengthening the relationship between the U.S. and U.K. Last year, NCBA hosted a U.S. versus U.K. “Battle of the Beef” event in collaboration with the British Embassy. This lighthearted event brought top U.S. and U.K. officials—including the British Embassy Deputy Head of Mission, U.S. Chief Agricultural Negotiator, President of the U.K. National Farmers Union, and numerous members of Congress—together to talk about the mutual benefits of American and British trade. In March 2025, NCBA member Robby Kirkland reiterated that message when he testified before the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee in a congressional hearing on trade. NCBA also recently met with current British Ambassador Peter Mandelson.
OKLAHOMA CONGRESSMAN TOM COLE
Congressman Tom Cole (OK-04) released the following statement applauding President Trump for his success in negotiating a trade deal between the United States and the United Kingdom, which is our fourth largest trade partner:
“Today, President Trump delivered a historic U.S.-UK trade deal, which every American, no matter political party or ideology, should be happy to see. It will not only provide American companies with unprecedented access to British markets, but it will also bolster our national security. Specifically, this deal will create a $5 billion opportunity for new exports for U.S. farmers, ranchers, and producers, many of which I represent in Oklahoma’s Fourth District, as well as maximize the competitiveness and secure the supply chain of U.S. defense manufacturers,” said Congressman Cole.
“Today proves that countries will come to the negotiating table. Congratulations to the Trump Administration, and I look forward to seeing the future trade deals to come,” said Congressman Cole.
NATIONAL CORN GROWERS ASSOCIATION
The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) praised a new bilateral trade agreement that increases access for American agricultural products to the United Kingdom, including ethanol.
“This is great news,” said Illinois farmer and NCGA President Kenneth Hartman Jr. “We applaud President Trump and his administration for brokering this deal, and we encourage them to continue to include corn, corn ethanol and corn co-products in future bilateral agreements with other countries.”
During the announcement, Trump officials indicated that tariffs on U.S. ethanol will be reduced to zero. According to the White House fact sheet, this covers $700 million worth of U.S. ethanol exports.
NCGA had previously asked the Trump administration for increased ethanol access in the United Kingdom. The country is currently the second largest destination for U.S. ethanol exports, taking in 244 million gallons, which is 12.7% of the total U.S. ethanol exports for 2024. Ethanol exports to the UK have steadily increased since 2021.
GROWTH ENERGY
Growth Energy, the nation’s largest biofuel trade association, also commended the White House and President Trump this morning after his announcement of the trade deal that will potentially increase ethanol exports to the United Kingdom. Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor issued the following statement in response:
“In terms of trade with the UK, the American ethanol industry had its best year ever last year, with exports valued at over $535 million. This trade agreement puts us on track to set another record, all to the benefit of American farmers, biofuel producers, and UK consumers. We look forward to learning more and finding new ways to help the UK achieve its economic and environmental goals through the increased use of American biofuels. We commend the President and his team for making this deal and creating new opportunities for American ethanol and rural America.”
AMERICAN SOYBEAN ASSOCIATION
USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins announced plans this week to expedite $21 billion in disaster assistance to aid farmers and ranchers across the country following several natural disasters.
Appearing before the Senate Appropriations Committee on Tuesday, Rollins announced that the online portal allowing farmers to apply for disaster assistance will be launched on the USDA website by the end of May. The program will be funded by the American Relief Act, which passed through Congress in December 2024. Program funds total approximately $21 billion.
Rollins underscored the complexity of distributing disaster aid as cause for the delay, noting that it involves negotiating agreements with individual state governments tasked with delivering the funds. She explained that this process is significantly more intricate than the distribution of the $10 billion in market-related assistance previously provided through the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program.
ASA President Caleb Ragland, a soybean grower from Kentucky, said, “ASA appreciates USDA’s continuous work to coordinate the distribution of disaster assistance that will help restore some stability to rural communities that have endured devastating hurricanes, floods, fires and other natural disasters.”
A disaster assistance timeline can be found on USDA’s website here. ASA will continue to serve as a resource as these funds are rolled out.
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF FARMER COOPERATIVES
Statement of NCFC President Chuck Conner on Framework for U.S.-U.K. Trade Deal:
“The National Council of Farmer Cooperatives (NCFC) welcomes the announcement by President Trump and Prime Minister Starmer of a framework for a U.S.-U.K. trade agreement. We look forward to reviewing the details when the text of the agreement is available.
“As discussions move forward during the 90-day consultation period, it is essential that this and any future trade agreements with other countries secure meaningful new market access to help offset losses in other export markets. We stand ready to work with the administration to ensure that the final agreement delivers tangible results for U.S. agriculture.”
About NCFC
Since 1929, the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives has been the voice of America’s farmer cooperatives, representing their interests in legislative and regulatory affairs. NCFC’s members include regional and national farmer cooperatives, which in turn consist of nearly 1,600 local farmer cooperatives across the country. These cooperatives handle, process, and market almost every type of agricultural commodity; furnish farm supplies; and provide credit and related financial services, including export financing. Earnings from these activities are returned to their farmer members on a patronage basis, helping improve their income from the marketplace. Farmer cooperatives also provide over 200,000 jobs, with a total payroll in excess of $12 billion, and contribute significantly to the economic well-being of rural America.
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STATE DEPARTMENTS OF AGRICULTURE
The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) congratulates the U.S. and the United Kingdom on releasing a trade agreement that aims to enhance trade relationships and open new market opportunities for both countries. NASDA CEO Ted McKinney said the following statement in support of the trade deal.
“This agreement marks a significant step forward for U.S. farmers and ranchers, and U.K. agriculture and consumers as well,” McKinney said. “We applaud the leadership of both governments in forging a partnership that opens new markets in both countries.”
In recent years, NASDA played a vital role in helping strengthen U.S.-U.K. agricultural relations through its international trade missions and export development efforts. In collaboration with USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service and the U.K. Government, notably its Embassy in Washington, D.C., NASDA members participated in multiple trade missions to the U.K., facilitating critical connections between U.S. farmers and agricultural businesses and U.K. markets. Likewise, NASDA members hosted many U.K. visitors. In August 2024, NASDA led a U.K. delegation to North Carolina to discuss the importance of animal health and welfare. Most recently, NASDA hosted a U.K. delegation, traveling to Maine, Arkansas and Louisiana to learn about the U.S. agriculture industry with a focus on forestry and wood pellets.
NASDA remains committed to helping build relationships and reduce barriers to trade and looks forward to continuing its partnership with U.K. counterparts to ensure mutual agricultural prosperity.
U.S. GRAINS COUNCIL
The White House issued a statement announcing a trade deal aimed at improving U.S. companies access to markets in the United Kingdom (U.K.), including a major victory for U.S. farmers and U.S. ethanol producers.
According to the statement, the trade deal will expand U.S. market access in the U.K. and create an opportunity upwards of $5 billion in new exports for U.S. farmers, ranchers and producers.
The deal will specifically include more than $700 million in U.S. ethanol exports, via a new tariff-free quota for ethanol, applying to the first 1.4 billion liters or 368 million gallons.
The deal also includes $250 million in other agricultural products and increases U.S. competitiveness in the U.K.’s procurement market. It also establishes commitments around intellectual property, labor and environment, maximizes competitiveness in the aerospace community and secures the supply chain for pharmaceuticals.
“This deal is a huge win specifically for U.S. ethanol producers, allowing them to expand even more into our second largest market for ethanol,” said Council President and CEO Ryan LeGrand. “It’s a crucial step forward in the continued positive relationship between our two countries, and we greatly appreciate all the Trump Administration has done to expand reach for U.S. ethanol.”
The U.K. imported 226.6 million gallons of U.S. ethanol in the 2023-2024 marketing year, making it the second largest importer of U.S. ethanol, for a total of just over $529 million.
NATIONAL MILK PRODUCERS FEDERATION & U.S. DAIRY EXPORT COUNCIL
Statements from the National Milk Producers Federation and the U.S. Dairy Export Council:
“The United States and the United Kingdom are long overdue to strike a deal on trade. This agreement on a solid framework for negotiations over the coming months is an important step in the right direction,” said Gregg Doud, president and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation. “The UK is the world’s largest cheese importer from global markets. The United States has invested $10 billion in U.S. dairy processing capacity in a four-year window. It’s vitally important that our exporters have a level playing field.”
The European Union has duty-free, quota-free access to the UK dairy market and benefits from geographical indications that prohibit fair competition in the UK market in common cheese categories. The UK in 2023 also implemented Free Trade Agreements with New Zealand and Australia which eliminate all UK dairy tariffs over the course of five years. The EU, New Zealand and Canada also all benefit from most of their dairy products being deemed by the UK to be “low risk” and thus can enter the UK market without the need for product certification.
“Yesterday’s announcement of a U.S.-UK agreement on a negotiating framework for trade must be a first step in the work that’s needed to open market opportunities for U.S. dairy products to the UK, which imported $5 billion from the world last year,” said Krysta Harden, president and CEO of the U.S. Dairy Export Council. “The UK already has open trade with the world’s largest dairy exporter—the EU—and it will have fully open trade with two of the other largest exporters—New Zealand and Australia—in just 3 years. Duty-free, quota-free, certificate-free trade is what U.S. dairy exporters need to have a level playing field in this key market.”
