China is the world’s largest pork consumer and has recently imposed tougher restrictions for live pig imports from the U.S. due to concerns surrounding the PED virus – according to the Wall Street Journal. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has been asked to test live hogs and certify they come from herds unaffected by the virus. Live hog exports are just a small part of U.S. pork exports to China – but it’s still important. A USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service spokesman says the agency is capable and willing to comply with China’s new requirement for testing and certification – but will also work with China to eliminate the requirement.
In response to Japan and Australia’s Bilateral Agreement, announced on Monday, the National Pork Producers Council again calls on Japan to eliminate all tariff and non-tariff trade barriers for U.S. ag products as part of the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations. NPPC says accepting Japan’s demands would be a radical departure from past U.S. trade agreements and open the door to other exemptions from other TPP negotiating countries – and in future U.S. trade deals. NPPC President Dr. Howard Hill says Japan is asking for special treatment in the form of exempting myriad tariff lines from tariff elimination – yet tariff elimination is the heart of a free trade agreement. Hill says NPPC supports the efforts of U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman and the U.S. trade team to get the same result from Japan the U.S. has gotten from every other U.S. FTA partner – elimination of virtually all tariffs.
source: NAFB News service