Senate Ag Appropriations Bill Includes Alternative Approach to China Poultry Issue...
Senate Ag Appropriations Bill Includes Alternative Approach to China Poultry Issue
The version of the FY 10 Agriculture Appropriations bill (H.R. 2997) passed by the full U.S. Senate includes the following language designed to address the trade impasse between the United States and China over the potential importation of cooked poultry products from China:
SEC. 744. None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to establish or implement a rule allowing poultry products to be imported into the United States from the People's Republic of China unless the Secretary of Agriculture formally commits in advance to conduct audits of inspection systems, on-site reviews of slaughter and processing facilities, laboratories and other control operations before any Chinese facilities are certified as eligible to ship fully cooked poultry products to the U.S., and at least once annually in subsequent years: Provided, That the Secretary commits in advance to implement a significantly increased level of port of entry re-inspection: Provided further, That the Secretary commits in advance to conduct information sharing with other countries importing poultry products from China that have conducted audits and plant inspections: Provided further, That this section shall be applied in a manner consistent with United States obligations under international trade agreements.
This provision takes a more measured approach to this issue than Section 723 of the House version of the bill, which still includes an outright prohibition on any funding to establish or implement a rule allowing poultry products to be imported from China. This prohibition – in place since passage of the FY 08 Ag Appropriations Bill — is at the heart of a trade dispute in which China has filed a complaint with the WTO against the United States. Many believe this dispute represents a significant obstacle for the resumption of U.S. pork exports to China, which have effectively been banned since early May due to H1N1 influenza, and for U.S. beef exports, which have been banned since 2003 due to BSE.
When Congress reconvenes after Labor Day, a House-Senate conference committee must reconcile the differences between the two versions of the bill.
“USMEF appreciates the Senate’s work on this issue, which has resulted in an approach that treats our trading partners in a fair and open manner but still protects the safety and integrity of the U.S. food supply,” said USMEF President and CEO Philip Seng. “I know there is much work still to be done on the issue. But if the Senate language is maintained though the conference committee process, it will be an important first step toward resolution of this trade dispute.”
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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 and is funded by USDA, exporting companies, and the beef, pork, corn and soybean checkoff programs.
For more information, contact Jim Herlihy at jherlihy@usmef.org.
Senate Ag Appropriations Bill Includes Alternative Approach to China Poultry Issue
The version of the FY 10 Agriculture Appropriations bill (H.R. 2997) passed by the full U.S. Senate includes the following language designed to address the trade impasse between the United States and China over the potential importation of cooked poultry products from China:
SEC. 744. None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to establish or implement a rule allowing poultry products to be imported into the United States from the People's Republic of China unless the Secretary of Agriculture formally commits in advance to conduct audits of inspection systems, on-site reviews of slaughter and processing facilities, laboratories and other control operations before any Chinese facilities are certified as eligible to ship fully cooked poultry products to the U.S., and at least once annually in subsequent years: Provided, That the Secretary commits in advance to implement a significantly increased level of port of entry re-inspection: Provided further, That the Secretary commits in advance to conduct information sharing with other countries importing poultry products from China that have conducted audits and plant inspections: Provided further, That this section shall be applied in a manner consistent with United States obligations under international trade agreements.
This provision takes a more measured approach to this issue than Section 723 of the House version of the bill, which still includes an outright prohibition on any funding to establish or implement a rule allowing poultry products to be imported from China. This prohibition – in place since passage of the FY 08 Ag Appropriations Bill — is at the heart of a trade dispute in which China has filed a complaint with the WTO against the United States. Many believe this dispute represents a significant obstacle for the resumption of U.S. pork exports to China, which have effectively been banned since early May due to H1N1 influenza, and for U.S. beef exports, which have been banned since 2003 due to BSE.
When Congress reconvenes after Labor Day, a House-Senate conference committee must reconcile the differences between the two versions of the bill.
“USMEF appreciates the Senate’s work on this issue, which has resulted in an approach that treats our trading partners in a fair and open manner but still protects the safety and integrity of the U.S. food supply,” said USMEF President and CEO Philip Seng. “I know there is much work still to be done on the issue. But if the Senate language is maintained though the conference committee process, it will be an important first step toward resolution of this trade dispute.”
# # #
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 and is funded by USDA, exporting companies, and the beef, pork, corn and soybean checkoff programs.
For more information, contact Jim Herlihy at jherlihy@usmef.org.