Daily News Update, Nov. 30, 2007
Troops rallying in
support of Peru trade agreement
The
Senate must vote on the Peru Trade Promotion Agreement (PTPA) in the
coming weeks. NCBA expects this vote to happen sometime during the week
of December 10th. This gives cattle producers less than two
weeks to contact their Senators and urge support for this important and
lucrative trade agreement.
For U.S.
cattlemen, the PTPA is one of the
best-negotiated free trade agreements to date, providing for immediate
duty-free access for U.S. prime and choice beef.
NCBA is working with a coalition of agriculture industry groups in
support of this agreement which will give U.S. cattle producers the
ability to compete aggressively against Argentinean and Brazilian beef
in the Peruvian market.
Under the
Peru Trade Promotion Agreement:
- U.S. choice and prime beef will have immediate duty-free access.
- All
tariff rate quotas will be eliminated within 12 years.
- Peru
has committed to recognize the U.S. meat inspection system as equivalent
to its own, thereby allowing imports from facilities approved by USDA-FSIS.
- Peru
has committed in writing to specific Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS)
terms.
Beef
comprises less than eight percent of Peru’s total agriculture gross
domestic product, making it an exceptional export growth opportunity for
U.S. beef. In 2003, Peru was a $6 million export market for U.S. beef
products. Improved access via PTPA could amount to roughly $15 million a
year, about half the value of Peru's current total beef imports.
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