Agricultural News
US Takes Action Against EU's Unfair Treatment of US Beef Industry, Reinstates Retaliatory Tariffs
Fri, 23 Dec 2016 13:11:48 CST
The United States Trade Representative's office announced yesterday that the US is poised to begin the process to reinstate tariffs on goods and products from the European Union in reaction to the EU's unfair treatment of US beef. Farm Director Ron Hays spoke recently with Kent Bacus, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association's director of international trade. He says if the EU would hold up its end of the bargain struck back in 2009, we wouldn't be in this situation.
"In 2009 the United States and the European Union signed a memorandum of understanding in which the US would temporarily suspend retaliatory tariffs on European goods," Bacus said. "In exchange for that, the US beef industry would have duty-free access of upwards to 45,000 metric tons for beef from non-hormone treated cattle."
This agreement was made in the hopes that a bridge of trust could be built over time between US beef producers and European consumers, opening further market access down the road. Unfortunately, Bacus says the EU has failed to live up to their end of the deal.
"They have allowed other countries to access this quota and as a result, we have seen the US market share drastically decline," Bacus said. "So the question becomes, 'how can we fix this?'"
For last several years, Bacus says that the US government has tried to find solutions to this ongoing issue, but to little avail with the EU unwilling to cooperate. Therefore, the US has ultimately resolved to take this action in reinstating the tariffs to at least prevent the EU from taking complete advantage of US beef producers any longer.
Listen to Hays and Bacus talk more about the recent action by the USTR in response to the EU's unfair trade practices, on today's Beef Buzz.
The Beef Buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Network and is a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR below for today's show and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today.
WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady® NSI
Top Agricultural News
More Headlines...
