Sens. Cramer, colleagues urge Trump Administration to address maximum residue levels MRLs in EU trade talks

U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) led a group of senators today in urging U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Ambassador Robert Lighthizer to address Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) in any trade deal signed with the European Union.

“American agriculture producers face non-science based trade barriers when exporting their crops to the EU,” the senators wrote. “European MRLs should be harmonized to the maximum extent possible with accepted science that ensures farmers access to needed tools.”

American growers of crops like sunflowers, wheat, corn, and potatoes face challenges when encountering foreign MRL standards or foreign nations who do not have established an MRL standard for products approved in the U.S. In these cases, despite growers applying a product according to the EPA approved label and conforming to U.S. residue levels, they still have their crop turned away in a foreign port. These senators hope the Trump Administration will push to change that in any deal struck with the EU.

Joining Senator Cramer in signing the letter to Ambassador Lighthizer were Senators James Risch (R-ID), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Mike Braun (R-IN), Jerry Moran (R-KS), John Hoeven (R-ND), John Boozman (R-AR), Todd Young (R-IN), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Pat Roberts (R-KS), and Josh Hawley (R-MO).

Click here to read the letter.