“We are very pleased the United States did not succumb to pressure from India, the European Union and other trading partners who want a Doha ‘lite’ deal,“ said NPPC President Joy Philippi, a pork producer from Bruning, Neb. “Thankfully the president and our trade officials have the best interests of U.S. agriculture in mind. Although trade talks are suspended, we hope they will get back on track soon. Pork producers need an aggressive outcome in market access especially with Japan and the EU.“

The administration’s position is not a big surprise. “This administration has set the bar high with unprecedented outcomes in FTAs with Peru and Colombia and a WTO bilateral accession deal with Vietnam,“ Philippi said. “We expect an equally ambitious outcome for pork producers in the WTO Doha negotiations.

“NPPC will continue to push the trade agenda forward and urges Congress to pass the Peru Trade Promotion Agreement, PNTR for Vietnam and the Colombian FTA,“ added Philippi. “These agreements, when implemented, will have a very significant impact on the bottom line of pork producers. In addition, NPPC supports an extension of trade promotion authority so that our trade officials have the time they need to conclude a successful Doha Round and FTA negotiations with Korea and Malaysia.“

ThePigSite News Desk