Reps. Randy Feenstra (R-IA) and Adrian Smith (R-NE) and 15 of their colleagues are urging U.S. Trade Ambassador Jamieson Greer to seek improved market access for American agricultural exports of ethanol and distillers’ dried grains with solubles (DDGS) in India.

“The long-term demand opportunity for DDGS alone could be two million metric tons per year valued at $500 million, which would turn into the second largest export market (behind Mexico),” the lawmakers wrote in a letter to Greer. “For ethanol, India is already our 3rd largest export destination at 170 million gallons valued at $393 million, however further reducing existing market barriers would allow for over $400 million of additional exports.”

The lawmakers said they believe increased exports of U.S. ethanol and DDGS to India represent “an easy win for American farmers and will be a terrific way to begin addressing the federal trade deficit through mutually beneficial trade with India.”

This comes as historic advances are made in negotiating a bilateral trade agreement with India, the framework of which was announced by Vice President J.D. Vance and USTR in April. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins is scheduled to travel to India this year in efforts to continue discussions to open new markets for agricultural exports.