54 November 4, 2014 2014 LOGAN COUNTY FARM OUTLOOK MAGAZINE LINCOLN DAILY NEWS.com
to TPP countries must be addressed. We
seek to eliminate barriers that are not based
on science for trading agricultural products
derived from biotechnology.”
“However, the Transatlantic Trade and
Investment Partnership must address
unjustifiable restrictions on production
methods that negatively affect U.S. exports.”
On October 29 ADM; Cargill, Incorporated;
the National Grain and Feed Association, and
the North American Export Grain Association
sent a joint letter of support to U.S.
Ambassador Darci Vetter, Chief Agriculture
Negotiator, Office of the United States Trade
Representative.
The letter thanked Vetter and the negotiating
team for leadership on a Trans Pacific
Partnership (TPP) agreement.
Below are highlights of that
correspondence:
“Now that negotiating teams are positioned
to consult widely at home and work intensely
with each other to resolve outstanding issues,
we are writing to reinforce our fervent belief
that a comprehensive and high standard
TPP must include gold standard sanitary and
phyto-sanitary (SPS) provisions as a critical
element of the agreement.
“To ensure that the TPP SPS commitments are
genuinely meaningful, we believe they must:
1) be enforceable; 2) reflect science based
disciplines; and 3) include the key elements
laid out in industry’s proposal for a “Rapid
Response Mechanism” (RRM) to improve
food and agriculture trade and expeditiously
resolve shipment specific issues.
“A RRM that provides for timely action to
expedite resolution of import disputes will
add significant value to both SPS and TBT
commitments.
Given the perishable nature of food and
other agricultural products, there are two key
elements that must be
included in the TPP.
“First, there needs to be a rapid notification
within a few days to the exporter and importer
of record when a shipment is restricted or
delayed by regulatory actions at import.
“Second, there must be a formal obligation
required of import authorities to work with
the importer, exporter and, if needed, the
exporter’s government representatives to
identify options for an expedited resolution
with in a matter of days.
