USMEF South American Expo (Click on to download PDF form) | The Americas | U...
USMEF South American Expo (Click on to download PDF form)
The Americas
U.S.-Chile FTA Agreed
The U.S. and Chile agreed to sign a free trade treaty aimed at increasing their $5.7 billion annual commerce yesterday (Dec. 11) as part of U.S. efforts to create a free-trade zone of the Americas by 2005.
USDA Secretary Ann Veneman hailed the agreement as “good news for America’s farmers, ranchers and exporters who are eager to take advantage of the new and promising export opportunities that the agreement will bring.”
Access to Chile’s market will improve for beef and pork, according to Veneman. More than three-quarters of U.S. farm goods will enter Chile duty-free within four years and all duties on U.S. products will be phased out over 12 years.
"While U.S. tariffs will also be eliminated over time under the FTA,” Veneman said in a press release, “the agreement has a provision that will help protect farmers and ranchers from sudden surges in imports from Chile. When the safeguard is triggered, additional duties will be applied.”