USMEF Voices Priorities on Indo-Pacific Economic Framework

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is preparing for a new round of Asia-Pacific trade talks under a plan known as the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF). The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) recently submitted comments on the IPEF, focusing on priorities for U.S. red meat access including promotion of science-based trade rules, promoting a systems-based approach to U.S. establishment approvals, eliminating burdensome registration requirements and advancement of regionalization agreements related to foreign animal diseases. Those comments are available online.

In the attached audio report, USMEF Assistant Vice President of Export Services Travis Arp details these priorities and explains what a potential trade deal could mean for red meat exports.

While barriers related to tariffs, quotas and import licenses are not in the IPEF as currently proposed, USMEF still highlighted these issues in the comments. These barriers place U.S. red meat products at a significant disadvantage in several key markets in the Indo-Pacific region, especially where competitors have regional or bilateral trade agreements in place.

The region is one of the most important for U.S. red meat exports. In addition to well-established markets such as Japan and South Korea, several countries in Southeast Asia hold excellent growth potential for U.S. pork, beef and lamb.

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The U.S. Meat Export Federation (www.USMEF.org) is the trade association responsible for developing international markets for the U.S. red meat industry. It is funded by USDA; the beef, pork, lamb, corn and soybean checkoff programs, as well as its members representing nine industry sectors: beef/veal producing & feeding, pork producing & feeding, lamb producing & feeding, packing & processing, purveying & trading, oilseeds producing, feedgrains producing, farm organizations and supply & service organizations. USMEF complies with all equal opportunity, non-discrimination and affirmative action measures applicable to it by contract, government rule or regulation or as otherwise provided by law. USMEF is an equal opportunity employer and provider.