The United States and the United Kingdom continue to explore the path towards a trade agreement, though there are still several obstacles that need to be addressed. Dave Salmonsen, American Farm Bureau Federation Senior Government Affairs Director, the countries have a storied trade history, but it could use some improvement.
?Both countries are engaging in something called dialogues where they are exploring issues trying to get better relationships,? Salmonsen said. ?The U.S. and UK in agriculture have a pretty robust trade: each country sends about $2 billion worth annually to the other, but it certainly is something that definitely can be improved.?
Salmonsen said the United Kingdom Secretary of Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs called for a free trade agreement with the U.S. this week in Washington.
?Farm Bureau certainly supports that,? Salmonsen said. ?There?re several barriers, the United Kingdom is still moving away from their time as being part of the European Union. Their regulatory system needs a push, they need to move closer to a science-based standards system that we have. They need to reduce their tariffs, they signed trade agreements this past year with both Australia and New Zealand where they’re phasing out tariffs on food imports, and we need the same treatment.?
Meanwhile, Salmonsen said, Mexico issued a new decree regarding importing genetically modified corn.
?They want to phase out fairly quickly the imports of white corn from the U.S. and look to some point next year or beyond phase down imports of yellow corn,? Salmonsen said. ?None of this has any basis in science, so, this is giving more impetus to the folks urging our Trade Representative?s office just to bring a case under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada agreement against Mexico. Certainly, we think this is a very clear trade violation of that agreement.?
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