The Meat Institute is urging the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to be aggressive in supporting exports of red meat and poultry in 2025.
Julie Anna Potts, President and CEO of the Meat Institute, stated, “The resilience of the U.S. meat and poultry industry is inextricably linked to the trade policy and promotional initiatives that foster growth in meat and poultry export.” The Meat Institute also highlighted the importance of imports of beef from Canada and Mexico since trade within the USMCA is interlinked.
The Meat Institute urged the USTR to attempt to remove tariffs imposed by China. This prospect would appear to be even less attainable in the event that tariffs are imposed by an incoming Administration.
Other issues raised by the Meat Institute include removal of unjustified embargos based on disease and market diversification as a means of counteracting competition.
At the end of the day, there is little that the USTR can achieve if importing nations are self-sufficient. It is unlikely that diplomacy will support trade if the U.S. imposes punitive tariffs on imports from nations to whom we wish to export agricultural products including meat and poultry.