Daily News Update, Feb. 1, 2008

Cattlemen, Congress turn up the heat on Korea

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) sent a letter on Jan. 25 to U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab reiterating the urgent need for the beef import protocol issue to be resolved with South Korea.

Baucus repeated his promise that a U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement will not move forward in the Finance Committee until Korea lifts its unscientific ban on U.S. beef, sets criteria to fairly assess beef imports, and resolves conflicts on a case-by-case basis should they arise.

"Ambassador Schwab must redouble efforts to finalize a new protocol settling the beef issue with Korea once and for all," said Baucus. "I've made clear that until there is a tried and true set of rules allowing imports of American beef to Korea, I am unwilling to move the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement forward."

A protocol is currently in place for South Korea to accept boneless U.S. beef imports from cattle less than 30 months of age. Korea, however, suspended imports of U.S. beef on Oct. 5, 2007, after inspectors found one box within an 18.5 ton shipment that contained vertebral column.

Korean officials said that a ban on ALL U.S. beef products would remain in effect until a new set of quarantine conditions were worked out.

NCBA's Vice President of Government Affairs Jay Truitt maintains that any new protocol conditions with South Korea must result in commercially viable trade. "Any agreement to simply 'resume' trade doesn't help U.S. cattlemen and doesn't really represent any progress."

"The United States produces the safest and highest quality beef in the world. Any protocol that allows for anything short of full market access for all U.S. beef, regardless of cut of beef or age of cattle represents a non-science based trade barrier," said Truitt.