On the heels of long-awaited ratification of the Free Trade Agreements with Panama, Colombia and South Korea, Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack is headed east to enhance ongoing trade relationships with other countries:
“Next week I travel to Vietnam and China. The Vietnamese trip is a historic one, no sitting US ag secretary has ever visited Vietnam. It's an opportunity for us to visit with students and high-level ag officials in Vietnam to discuss a growing trade relationship between our two countries. We currently to $1.4 billion in ag and forestry product trade with Vietnam, which is two-and-a-half times the amount it was just four years ago in 2007.”
According to Vilsack one of the topics bound to come up with the Vietnamese is biotech grains:
“Well, they are a supporter of the technology, they are in the process of putting together rules and regulations relating to biotechnology, we just want to simply make sure that those rules and regulations are consistent with the approach we take here in the United States so that it doesn’t create a potential trade barrier.”
As to the China portion of Vilsack’s trip:
“The China is part of our annual meeting with the Chinese under the Joint Committee on Commerce and Trade. Again, we’ll meet with high-ranking ag and Chinese officials to talk about everything from market access for our beef, fruits, potatoes, dairy, to science-based rule making on some poultry issues and also I need for us to make sure that our processes on biotechnology are better synchronized with their processes.”
China has historically been something of a problem when it comes to poultry imports and exports. Vilsack says those issues are certain to be addressed:
”Well, they have issues with us, and we have issues with them, the possibility exists for us to knock down a few of those bans. They in turn have concerns about us requiring food safety equivalents for any processed poultry that comes in from China. We’ll continue to make sure that any products that comes into the country from China are safe and secure.”
Vilsack says that a lot of the discussion surrounding biotech grain exports will be focused on all parties being on the same page:
“We see obviously increased market opportunities, we just want to make sure that all of the market is open, as much as it can be, and that any regulations or rules or barriers are consistent with science-based rules and regulations and standards and that we‘re apprised in advance of proposed changes. I know that Vietnam is looking at a number of their rules and regulations in connection with food safety, and we want to make sure that we’re given advance notice of those so we can determine whether or not they are indeed in compliance with WTO requirements, for example.”
The 2011 export year has been tremendous, and Vilsack wants to make sure that continues:
“This is just an opportunity for us to build on what will likely be a record year in exports. We’re looking at, with the passage of the three free trade agreements, this offers a real opportunity to continue to expand a foot hold in Asia.”
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