WASHINGTON – Senator Chuck Grassley is on an international trade trip this week where he’s addressing issues that affect Iowa agriculture with officials in Morocco, Turkey, the Czech Republic and Spain .
In his weekly news conference call with farm broadcasters this morning, Grassley said he’s particularly focused on non-tariff trade barriers in the European Union that impact the export of pork and beef, along with biotech food and feed. To hear the interview, go to http://grassley.senate.gov. Click on “News,” select “Radio Actualities,” and go to the posting with today’s date.
Grassley said the breakdown in the European Union’s approval process for biotech products has blocked most exports of corn to the European Union, and that this defacto moratorium is inconsistent with World Trade Organization rules. He noted that consumers in tend to be more accepting of agricultural biotechnology and that the is more pragmatic than many other European nations on this issue, and said he is urging officials in Prague and Madrid to be more engaged in trying to influence the European Union on biotechnology in agriculture.
Grassley said he’s also calling on and the Czech Republic to seek changes in the European Union’s restrictive approach in certifying pork plants to export pork to the European Union, as well as requiring unnecessary and expensive testing of pork products. Right now, only three pork plants are approved to ship pork to the European Union.
Separately, Grassley said that he wants to break down the ban that has on the importation of beef. Last summer, finally reopened its market to breeding cattle after a four-year ban. As a result, the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that the could export 10,000 head of breeding cattle to in 2008. “Even so, ’s beef import policy could not be more restrictive and very likely violates World Trade Organization standards,” Grassley said.
Grassley said that the meetings in focused on the growth in bilateral trade following the implementation last year of the U.S.-Morocco Free Trade Agreement.
Grassley is Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance, which is responsible for international trade legislation and oversight of trade policies. While Chairman of the committee between 2001 and 2006, Grassley shepherded through Congress implementing legislation for trade agreements covering 12 countries.
“The future of rural is linked to international trade,” Grassley said. “In agriculture alone, a third of acres are planted for export. Ag exports make up roughly one-fourth of farm cash receipts. All along the food chain -- from farmers, to suppliers, manufacturers and shippers -- international trade boosts prosperity for American agriculture.”
Grassley arrived in on Saturday, Jan. 5, and will return to the on Saturday, Jan. 12. The delegation of senators went to on Monday, landed in the today, and is scheduled to go to on Thursday.