CIT Judge Questioned About Tariffs During Nomination Hearing for USDA Position
Members of the Senate Agriculture Committee on April 8 pressed Stephen Vaden, nominee for USDA deputy secretary, on how President Donald Trump's slew of tariff action will impact USDA and agriculture issues.
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Vaden told lawmakers that he must be cautious about what he says on the recent tariffs because of his current position as a Court of International Trade judge, and because the "court that has exclusive jurisdiction to hear legal complaints that may be brought about the president’s tariff actions."
He added that U.S. farmers face various trade barriers, namely "phony phytosanitary concerns supposedly raising health or other welfare concerns about American products." Vaden claimed that U.S. agriculture is the "finest that is available in the world" and produced in a "quantity that no one else can match," making the phytosanitary measures "protectionism in another name." He said he will serve as a "constant reminder to the president's trade team that we need to be on offense when it comes to American agriculture."