Source: POLITICO'S MORNING AGRICULTURE, 6/12/20

Antony Phillipson, a top British trade official, spoke optimistically on Thursday about the U.S. and U.K. working to reach an agreement in the coming months, reports Pro Trade’s Doug Palmer.

"We want to do this very, very fast. If possible, we want to get an agreement signed before the election," Phillipson said during a panel discussion hosted by the Washington International Trade Association.

Meetings on tap: Phillipson made the remarks ahead of the second round of talks between the two countries, which are slated to begin on Monday via video teleconference.

Agriculture a key issue: The British official borrowed a line from Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) to note that "agriculture is the locomotive" that pulls along the rest of any U.S. trade agreement. As Pro Trade reported early this year, American industries have heavily lobbied the administration to pressure the U.K. to accept American chlorinated chicken, standards on beef hormones and other regulations.

Too ambitious? Completing the talks, which formally began in May, in less than six months would be very fast, and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer recently seemed to downplay expectations for a quick deal.

Important context: The two sides are negotiating amid the global coronavirus pandemic, as well as parallel negotiations between the U.K. and the European Union on the terms of their post-Brexit relationship.