March 25, 2020

US meat group expands access for US pork, beef in China

Among the provisions negotiated in the US-China "Phase One" trade deal, the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has included expanded access for US beef and pork in its Export Library for China.

The US Meat Export Federation (USMEF) president and CEO Dan Halstrom applauded the expanded access in the statement below:   

"This is an exciting day for the US beef and pork industries, which have waited a long time to have more meaningful and reliable access to China, and USMEF thanks USTR and USDA for their tireless efforts to negotiate and implement the Phase One trade agreement.

"With much broader access for US beef, the US industry is well-positioned to expand its presence in the largest and fastest growing beef market in the world. And while unprecedented volumes of US pork have been shipped to China in recent months, the US pork industry has also faced significant barriers that have kept exports below their full potential. The changes announced in the Export Library will benefit pork exporters looking to expand their business in China, as well as producers and everyone in the US supply chain.  

US pork and beef still face retaliatory duties in China, but a tariff exclusion process implemented by the Chinese government earlier this month is providing some level of relief. While elimination of all retaliatory duties is still the best way for China to level the playing field for US red meat, the exclusion process is expanding opportunities for importers and for the US industry."