Ag Exports in Focus Following Tariff Rate Quote Agreement Between U.S. and EU

Earlier this week, United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai along with EU representatives signed the U.S.-EU Tariff Rate Quota (TRQ) Agreement.

This enabled the U.S. to preserve its existing access to the EU market for various agricultural goods following the United Kingdom’s exit from the EU on January 1, 2021.

Through the first 11 months of 2022, the U.S. exported $11.1 billion worth of goods to the EU, according to the office of the U.S. trade representative. 

Under tariff-rate quota 005 (Meat of bovine animals/Edible offal of bovine animals), the Union volume of the United States/Canada country specific part was adjusted to 10,500 tonnes...

U.S., EU Agree to Tariff Rate Quotas for Agricultural Products

The United States Trade Representative (USTR) Katherine Tai and a number of EU representatives signed the U.S.-EU Tariff Rate Quota (TRQ) Agreement on January 17.

According to the USTR, the agreement will allow the U.S. to preserve its existing access to the EU market for various agricultural commodities following the United Kingdom’s exit from the EU on January 1, 2021.

“The new TRQ allocations are based on the historical pattern of agricultural exports to the 27 EU Member States,” the USTR’s office wrote in a press release...

Protein Groups Share Thoughts on Confirmations of USTR Ag. Negotiator, Food Safety Undersecretary

U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, and John Boozman (R-Ark.), the Committee’s Ranking Member announced that the U.S. Senate has confirmed the appointments of Dr. Jose Emilio Esteban, to serve as Under Secretary for Food Safety at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Doug McKalip, to serve as Chief Agricultural Negotiator in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.

“It’s long overdue that these critical positions at USDA and the Office of...

Joint Statement from Secretary Vilsack and Ambassador Tai after Meeting with Mexican Government

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai released the following statement after Secretary Vilsack and Ambassador Tai met with a delegation of senior Mexican Government officials in Washington, D.C. today:

“Today, we welcomed a number of senior Mexican Government officials to a meeting at the United States Department of Agriculture.

“There was candid conversation about our deep concerns around the restrictions of the importation of biotech corn and other biotechnology products stemming from President López Obrador’s 2020 decree. The Mexican delegation presented...

NPPC Latest Capital Update

Letter of Opposition for a Section 301 Investigation on Imports From Mexico

What happened? On Oct. 5, over 20 agricultural and industry associations, including National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), signed a letter urging USTR to reject the petition sent by a group of members of Congress to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) requesting a Section 301 investigation on fresh produce imports from Mexico.

What does this mean? Mexico is the largest value and volume market for U.S. pork. A Section 301 investigation would undermine the relationship with one of our largest agricultural trading...

NAMI Calls for Swift Senate Approval of Esteban, Taylor and McKalip Nominations

The North American Meat Institute (NAMI or the Meat Institute) called for swift consideration of three nominations critical to the meat and poultry industry pending before the full Senate: Jose Emilio Esteban to be Undersecretary of Agriculture for Food Safety, Alexis Taylor to be Undersecretary of Agriculture for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs and Doug McKalip, nominated to be Chief Agricultural Trade Negotiator at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR).

“The meat and poultry industry supports...