February 6, 2008

New Zealand meat board looks on US interest in free trade deal

New Zealand's meat industry board said it was heartened by today's announcement from the US on possible free trade deal.

Meat and Wool NZ chairman, Mike Petersen, said farmer levies had been invested in this trade policy priority.

After the Australian-US free trade agreement came into effect in January 2006, New Zealand exporters were disadvantaged as Australian beef no longer goes through an in-quota tariff.

US Trade representative,Susan Schwab, also said today the US would enter negotiations already taking place between New Zealand, Singapore, Chile and Brunei in the P4 free trade agreement, where they are discussing joint financial services and an investment agreement.

Schwab said it would consider joining the wider P4 agreement with New Zealand.

Meanwhile, Petersen said Meat and Wool NZ was separately working alongside American lamb producers and New Zealand processing companies to increase lamb consumption in the US.