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Red meat industry wants NAFTA market access preserved

The U.S. red meat industry wants any renegotiation of NAFTA to maintain full market access to Canada and Mexico.

Thad Lively with the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) says duty-free and barrier-free borders with those countries must be preserved.

“NAFTA’s been hugely significant to the red meat industry here in the U.S., eliminating those borders.  Which is effectively what NAFTA did for trade in North America.  Most of us in this industry would say it’s the way we ought to move as we go forward on trade.”

Canada and Mexico account for 40 percent of U.S. pork exports, nearly 30 percent of U.S. beef exports and more than 80 percent of U.S. lamb exports.

Lively says for the red meat industry, it’s hard to find parts of NAFTA that need fixing.

“Currently, we don’t face barriers at either of our borders.  We’ve got good, open communication on virtually every aspect of the meat trade (and) very close working relationships at the commercial and governmental level.”

As trade officials formally begin NAFTA talks this week, Lively says the agreement’s sanitary and phytosanitary chapter should be updated to reflect current and technical standards.

USMEF would also like to see NAFTA updated to accommodate e-commerce.

Audio courtesy of the U.S. Meat Export Federation.