By MIKE JOHANNS

More than three years ago the United States and Colombia signed a trade agreement that would reduce or eliminate tariffs on most U.S. exports to Colombia. Unfortunately the agreement has been languishing ever since, and it is still waiting on the president to submit it to Congress. In the time since it was negotiated, American exporters have paid over $2.8 billion in tariffs that would have been eliminated under the agreement.

While we continue to dither and our exporters continue to pay the price, Colombia isn’t waiting around. Earlier this month the Canadian parliament ratified a free trade agreement with Colombia that will improve Canada’s access to the Colombian market.

This is just the latest example of our competitors speeding past us while we are stuck in neutral. Since signing the trade agreement with the U.S. in November 2006, Colombia has concluded trade agreement negotiations with Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay and the European Union. These countries are now gaining a competitive advantage over U.S. exporters.

The agreement between Colombia and Canada will enable Canadian wheat to enter the Colombian market duty-free. Yet according to one report prepared by the House Ways and Means Committee, the failure to implement the U.S.-Colombia agreement thus far has resulted in a jaw-dropping 87% decrease in U.S. wheat exports to Colombia. My home state of Nebraska has also experienced a decline.

Over the last five years, Colombia has been the largest market for U.S. agriculture exports in South America, with U.S. exports totaling $4.3 billion. However, a closer look at the numbers shows that our advantage in that market is slipping. From 2004 to 2008, U.S. exports to Colombia increased at an average annual rate of 38%. But in 2009 U.S. agricultural exports to Colombia decreased by 48%. Between 2008 and 2009, American companies exporting to Colombia lost $811 million in sales of corn, wheat, soybeans and soybean oil. And already in 2010 U.S. agricultural exports have fallen by another 45%.

The losses we’ve already realized become all the more troubling when you consider that enactment of the U.S.-Colombia agreement could result in a 10% increase in U.S. soybean exports, a 20% increase in U.S. corn exports, a 46% increase in U.S. beef exports, and a 110% increase in U.S. dairy exports to that country. My question is simple: What are we waiting for?

Increased exports mean more jobs for American workers and more dollars in American pockets. According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, enacting the U.S.-Colombia agreement could result in an increase in U.S. agriculture exports of nearly $700 million. In a separate analysis, the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that every $1 billion in agriculture exports supports 12,000 American jobs. In an economy that continues to sputter, I don’t know how we could turn our back on that opportunity.

The U.S. has much to gain from not only the Colombian trade agreement, but from those signed with Panama and South Korea as well. All three are badly in need of congressional approval, but first they have to be submitted to Congress by the president.

What’s needed now is leadership. If the administration would throw its weight behind these agreements, we could get them done before this year is over. Unfortunately, since his State of the Union address in January, when President Obama declared his goal of doubling exports over five years, we haven’t seen much action.

There is still time. I am encouraged by recent reports Mr. Obama has shown a renewed commitment to these agreements. Just this past Wednesday he announced his intention to send them to Congress “as soon as possible.” The time is now for him to back up his words with action.

Mr. Johanns is a Republican senator from Nebraska.