May 28, 2009
US emphasise on fair trade of pork and beef
US Trade Representative Ron Kirk has emphasised that trading partners must grant fair and consistent market access to US pork and beef products.
Kirk said he is committed to making US exports a cornerstone of the nation's economic recovery.
He was especially critical of trade suspensions recently imposed on US pork - and, in some cases, beef - due to the outbreak of AH1N1 flu.
He said that more than a dozen countries imposed trade restrictions on US agricultural products without scientific justification as a result of that outbreak, adding that as much as US$900 million in annual US exports could potentially be in jeopardy.
He noted that Russia had already been systematically limiting market access for US pork through what he termed "arbitrary delisting" of US processing plants.
He added that it would be a profound mistake to simply assume these interruptions in trade will only be temporary - a lesson livestock producers have learned all too well in recent years.
