In comments submitted July 7 to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) urged the Biden administration to address and eliminate Taiwan’s unjustified restrictions on U.S. pork.
The U.S. and Taiwan announced in early June that they would begin efforts to improve their economic and trade relationship, and representatives of the two countries met in late June for initial discussions on the “U.S.-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade.”
According to NPPC, the initiative will focus on:
- Facilitating more agricultural trade and trade by small and medium enterprises
- Advocating for sound, transparent trade regulations
- Establishing anti-corruption standards
- Supporting the environment and climate action
- Addressing “non-market” policies and practices that could be hindering trade
NPPC wrote in its comments that Taiwan has several non-tariff barriers to U.S. pork, including a ban on the use of the feed additive ractopamine and a country-of-origin labeling scheme.
In August 2020, Taiwan announced plans to adopt maximum residue limits (MRL) for pork and pork products produced using the feed additive ractopamine and to apply a country-of-origin labeling scheme that goes beyond what is allowed by the World Trade Organization. The ractopamine MRL does not meet international food-safety standards, NPPC argues.
Although ractopamine use by U.S. pork producers is not widespread, it is an option that is safe and acceptable, approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. It is approved for use in pork production in 26 countries, with 75 additional countries allowing the import of pork from ractopamine-fed hogs. The U.N.’s Codex Alimentarius Commission (CODEX), which sets international standards for food safety, in July 2012 approved an MRL for ractopamine, which U.S. pork meets, NPPC notes on its website.
NPPC says $150 million in annual U.S. pork sales could be made to Taiwan if it removed its ractopamine ban.
More from Farm Journal’s PORK:
Ractopamine’s Back on the Shelf, Now What?
Honduran President Wants Review of Trade Agreement with U.S.
USMEF Spotlights U.S.-China Trade Relations, Innovative Promotions for U.S. Red Meat
NPPC Leaders Speak Out on Policy Priorities at World Pork Expo
