Agricultural News
Trump's Trade Rhetoric Keeping Industry on Edge, Fearing Loss of Its Strong Export Market Position
Mon, 30 Oct 2017 11:12:32 CDT
The latest numbers compiled by the US Meat Export Federation shows the continued success in the export markets for both US beef and pork. According to the October report, beef exports this year from January to August are up by ten percent in volume at 823,000 mt. and 16 percent in value at $4.65 billion compared to the first eight months of 2016. Thad Lively, senior vice president for the USMEF, spoke recently with Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Farm Director Ron Hays, who says with these numbers in mind, the attitudes of USMEF members going into their annual strategy meeting in Tucson, Arizona this week should be very positive. But, he also knows there will be an air of uncertainty about the future there as well.
"No question about it, there's going to be a lot of talk that relates directly back to the Trump Administration's trade agenda," Lively said. "We've heard a lot of talk from the President on the possibility of pulling out of NAFTA. I'm sure members are going to want to know where we're headed on trade."
Understandably, Lively says the White House's rhetoric has made people nervous, wondering if an exit from one of the most lucrative trade deals for American agriculture could truly come to pass. This has in turned spurred those in the trade industry to start thinking about what options are available if the Administration seriously considers taking such action. So, while trade conditions are currently performing exceptionally well, Lively says the overall momentum of US trade is on a slow trend of diminishment as long as uncertainty remains regarding the future of NAFTA and other agreements like KORUS and promised bilateral deals in lieu of the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
"We see our position in the Japanese market in particular falling behind as a result of the negotiations that Japan has had with our leading competitors, Australia and the EU," he said. "I think there are a lot of questions about the future and where we're going to go especially in this whole area of market access. I'm sure that will be at the top of a lot of people's minds."
Listen to Lively and Hays discuss the export market's exceptional performance this year and concerns over how to maintain that momentum, 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.
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