Contact Victoria Broehm
The American Feed Industry Association remains hopeful by the Office of the United States Trade Representative’s notification to Congress this week that President Donald Trump intends to negotiate trade agreements with Japan, the European Union and the United Kingdom.
Japan represents the United States’ third largest export market for animal food with over $879 million in goods exported in 2017. Exports to the EU are negligible, due to the burdensome and onerous restrictions and hurdles the industry faces in this market. With the U.K. leaving the EU in 2019, the future of the United States’ trading relationship with the country remains uncertain. However, by eliminating existing barriers and leveling the playing field, the separate trade agreements with Japan, the U.K. and the EU would allow America’s animal food and ingredient manufacturers greater access into these markets.
Gina Tumbarello, AFIA’s director of international policy and trade, stated:
“We strongly believe that trade agreements generate economic growth, reduce market volatility and create thousands of new jobs. Trade agreements such as the ones the Trump administration is looking to negotiate with Japan, the EU and the U.K. must be comprehensive, developed in a single undertaking, seek to remove all unjustified non-tariff barriers and be based on science. AFIA looks forward to providing counsel and input to the USTR on the U.S. animal food industry’s goals and objectives for successful negotiations.”