Source: Rita Jane Gabbett, MEATINGPLACE, 7/12/17


Eighteen agricultural industry groups sent a letter to the Trump administration urging it to refrain from placing restrictions on imports of steel and aluminum out of concern the move would boomerang against U.S. food and agriculture exports.

The groups pointed out that many countries that export the metals to the United States are also large importers of U.S. agricultural products. “The potential for retaliation from these trading partners is very real,” said the groups.

Under the 1994 General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) Article XXI, national security can be a legitimate reason to restrict trade, but it rarely is cited.

“No country can dictate another’s national security needs,” the organizations wrote, “So now every country with a sensitive industry would know that it could follow the example of the United States and find a national security reason to circumvent trade commitments, no matter how flimsy the reason might be.”

Among those signing the letter were the National Pork Producers Council, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the National Turkey Federation.

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