IMPORTANCE
With 96 percent of the world’s population residing outside of the United States, it is essential that U.S. pork producers continue to gain access to more of these potential customers. A successful World Trade Organization Doha Development Round had the ability to increase the world economy by $300 billion over the next decade. New and expanded market access through trade agreements have been the most important catalysts for increased U.S. pork exports. While pork exports have exploded in recent years, future growth is dependent on further trade liberalization. The average global tariff on pork is still a staggering 77 percent.

BACKGROUND
In July 2008 the Doha Round negotiations broke down over an impasse between the United States and India over the use of an agricultural special safeguard for developing countries. In mid-October 2007, with hopes of eventually achieving a successful Doha agreement, NPPC led a delegation of U.S. pork industry representatives to Geneva, Switzerland, who met with U.S. trade negotiators, World Trade Organization Director-General Pascal Lamy and trade officials from a number of WTO nations.

NPPC POSITION
NPPC supported the July 2008 U.S. administration’s opposition to a proposed safeguard, which would have led to import duties in excess of those agreed to in the last WTO trade round and which would have threatened the strong growth in exports that U.S. pork producers have enjoyed in recent years. For NPPC, a successful Doha Round agreement would include improved market access for U.S. pork in developed and developing countries, removal of the Japan gate-price system, complete elimination of the European Union’s trade-distorting export subsidies for pork and other products and deep cuts in EU domestic support to European farmers and cuts in tariffs on pork.

International Trade Press Releases

International Trade Testimony & Comments