The effect of trade policy on small business was the focus of "U.S. Trade Policy: What’s Next for Small Business," a hearing held Wednesday by the House Small Business Committee in Washington. SB&B Foods President and American Soybean Association (ASA) member Bob Sinner testified before the committee, citing his company’s experiences with agricultural trade policy, touching specifically on the success of USDA’s Market Access Program (MAP), the need for consistency among trading partners with regard to sanitary and phytosanitary certification requirements, the recently-enacted free trade agreement with South Korea, the need for renewed investment in domestic infrastructure to facilitate more exports by small companies like Sinner’s, and the need for a practical approach to implementing any new safety requirements under the Food Safety Modernization Act.

SB&B Foods supplies specific varieties of non-biotech, Identity Preserved (IP) soybeans to food companies around the world, employing approximately 30 people, and totaling between $20-25 million in sales for the past three years.

"When our business first expanded to the international marketplace in 1988… (w)e were fortunate to receive cost-share funding for promotional activities from Food Export USA, a nonprofit organization funded by USDA’s Market Access Program (MAP)," stated Sinner in his testimony. "In this regard, I cannot overstate the success and value of USDA’s export promotion programs in expanding U.S. agricultural exports around the world."

Speaking to the need for consistency of standards from country to country, Sinner cited the dependence of many small businesses on outside assistance. "The U.S. government must work toward achieving international harmonization of standards in order to create more consistency in global markets," he stated. "It is nearly impossible for small exporters to combat the multitude of challenges in the international marketplace on their own. Already, world markets are characterized by unjustified sanitary and phytosanitary barriers not supported by sound science."

For a full transcript of Sinner’s testimony, please click here.

ASA represents all U.S. soybean farmers on domestic and international issues of importance to the soybean industry. ASA’s advocacy efforts are made possible through the voluntary membership in ASA by more than 21,000 farmers in 31 states where soybeans are grown.

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For more information contact:

Patrick Delaney, ASA Communications Director, 202-969-7040, pdelaney@soy.org