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Maintaining market access for US ag goods is a priority for USTR

The Chief Ag Negotiator for the U.S. Trade Representative’s office says it’s important that the U.S. can maintain its current market access for ag goods through previously negotiated trade agreements.  Earlier this week Mexico’s president issued a decree to immediately ban the import of GM white corn from the U.S. and eventually would stop imports of yellow corn for feed and industrial uses once Mexico could source the product elsewhere. National Corn Growers Association president Tom Haag says the integrity of the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement is at stake

Doug McKalip told members of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture ensuring corn trade with Mexico isn’t disrupted is a top priority.  “I can’t understate the amount of resources and attention and focus that has gone into making sure that Mexico holds true to the provisions that they signed onto,” he says.  “Which is to adhere to science and to ensure the risk-based assessments drive decision-making on importing our grain.”

He says in late January the USTR filed a second dispute against Canada over dairy access.  “We’d won a case previously in 2021,” he says.  “And Canada, thus far, has not provided real Market access for our dairy products. So this second case will allow us to hone in and to focus specifically on the issues that still remain with the Canadian market for dairy.”
McKalip says the Biden administration is committed to increasing market access for U.S. agricultural goods around the globe and he’s looking forward to developing new avenues for trade. 

McKalip addressed the nation’s state directors of agriculture during NASDA’s Winter Policy Conference this week.

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