Source: Susan Kelly, MEATINGPLACE, 10/17/18


The U.S. Trade Representative’s office officially notified Congress that the Trump administration intends to negotiate three separate trade agreements with Japan, the European Union and the United Kingdom.
In separate letters to Congress outlining plans for each effort, the USTR said its aim is to address both tariff and non-tariff barriers to achieving fair and reciprocal trade. Negotiations with Japan and the EU could begin 90 days from the notice, while talks with the UK could start after the country exits the EU on March 29, 2019.

The USTR will publish more specific objectives for the negotiations at least 30 days before formal trade negotiations begin. According to the USTR announcement:
• U.S. goods and services trade with Japan totaled about $283.6 billion in 2017. Exports were $114 billion; imports were $169.5 billion. The U.S. goods and services trade deficit with Japan was $55.5 billion in 2017.
• U.S. trade with the EU totaled nearly $1.2 trillion in 2017. Exports totaled $527 billion; Imports totaled $627 billion. The U.S. goods and services trade deficit with the EU was $100 billion in 2017.
• U.S. trade with United Kingdom was an estimated $235.9 billion in 2017. Exports were $125.9 billion; imports were $110.0 billion. The U.S. goods and services trade surplus with United Kingdom was $15.9 billion in 2017.

NPPC responds
The National Pork Producers Council commended the administration for its trade agenda, calling it "ambitious."
The administration recently updated agreements with Canada, Mexico and South Korea that maintained the U.S. pork industry’s zero-tariff access to those markets, which represent three of the top five destinations for U.S. pork exports, NPPC said.

“We’ve got the momentum on trade headed in the right direction now,” said NPPC President Jim Heimerl, a pork producer from Johnstown, Ohio, in a statement. “Producers are hurting because of retaliatory tariffs on pork, which were prompted by the administration’s efforts to realign U.S. trade policy. But producers have been patient, and now that patience is starting to pay off, particularly if we get a trade deal with Japan.”
Japan is the U.S. pork industry’s No. 1 export market. NPPC has also has called for deals with the Philippines and Vietnam.

NPPC said it has been supportive of trade negotiations with the United Kingdom, provided that the U.K. is willing to eliminate all non-tariff barriers and embrace U.N. food-safety standards and other international standards.

“NPPC will not support a deal with the U.K. unless it agrees to equivalence, meaning that all USDA-approved pork and pork products must be eligible for export to the U.K. without additional requirements,” Heimerl said.
NPPC said it is continuing to press the Trump administration to resolve trade disputes with China and Mexico, including dropping tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from the latter. Both countries imposed retaliatory tariffs on U.S. pork in response to the U.S. metals duties.

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