Representatives from the Five Nations Beef Alliance (FNBA) are in Maryland, US, this week to push for substantial trade liberalisation through the proposed Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement.

With TPP negotiations anticipated to conclude soon, discussions over the next few days will be critical as negotiators aims to resolve outstanding issues prior to a TPP Ministerial meeting in May.

FNBA members are urging TPP negotiating teams to deliver an agreement that will make it easier to do business, establish fair trade rules and reduce costs.

Beef producers are particularly adamant that any TPP outcome must provide new and substantial market access opportunities. With a growing global appetite for high quality beef products, there are concerns that meeting this demand will be challenged by a range of tariff and non-tariff barriers. These could be removed via the TPP.

However, in order to fulfill this goal, TPP members must step up and make genuine commitments to expeditiously liberalise the beef trade, said the FNBA.

"Maintaining the status quo is not an option. Beef producers cannot accept this outcome, and neither can the beef supply chain, or our highly valued customer base," the FNBA quoted in its media release.

"The desire to improve the global trade environment is what brought beef producers from the five competing nations together.  The TPP has the potential to join 12 nations together and in so doing, provide better access to food supplies for around 800 million people."

The alliance comprises of Cattle Council of Australia, Canadian Cattlemen's

Association, Confederacion Nacional de Organizaciones Ganaderas (Mexico), Beef + Lamb New Zealand, and the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (US).