Talking points on Peru FTA

Daily News Update, Nov. 20, 2007

NCBA Key Points on U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement

On beef trade with Peru

For U.S. cattlemen, the Peru Trade Promotion Agreement is one of the best negotiated free trade agreements to date providing for immediate duty-free access for U.S. prime and choice beef, as wellas other beef products.
All tariff rate quotas will be eliminated within 12 years.
Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) terms were agreed upon and put into writing and signed by both parties as apart of the negotiations.
Peru has made the commitment to recognize the U.S. meat inspection system as "equivalent" to its own, thereby allowing imports from facilities approved by USDA.
Provisions contained within the Peru Trade Promotion Agreement will reduce – and eventually eliminate – all tariffs for our beef, giving U.S. producers the ability to compete aggressively against Argentinean and Brazilian beef in these markets.
In 2003, Peru was a $6 million export market for U.S. beef, beef variety meats and beef products. This improved access could amount to roughly $15 million a year, about half the value of Peru's current total beef imports.
Beef comprises only 7.83 percent of Peru's total agriculture Gross Domestic Product, making it an exceptional export growth opportunity for U.S. beef.

On support for Peru and other trade agreements

Peru is one of many up for consideration by Congress this fall.
NCBA is working with more than 40 other food and agriculture groups as part of an Ag Trade Coalition in support of the Peru, Panama and Colombia Trade Promotion Agreements.
Passage of these agreements is one of the listed priorities outlined in NCBA's Beef Export Access Five Point Plan.
Pass the Peru, Colombia and Panama Free Trade Agreements. These are well-negotiated agreements and Congress needs to ratify them!

General support for trade

NCBA supports international trade policies that aggressively pursue expanded market access for U.S. beef.
We support the enforcement of trade agreements that are based on internationally recognized standards and guidelines.
America's cattlemen rely on our nation's policymakers to support a pro-trade agenda in order to grow their businesses and help support the U.S. economy. Successfully-negotiated trade agreements help expand our international markets for beef and other agricultural goods, while simultaneously stimulating economic growth. A vote for expanding trade is a vote for American agriculture and small business!
96 percent of the world's population lives outside of the United States. Future growth of the U.S. economy depends upon our ability to produce and sell products competitively in a global marketplace.