Dear Chairman Pearson:
The future sustainability of the U.S. beef industry is highly dependent on access to global markets. Currently, restrictions on U.S. beef exports related to concerns over bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), especially by Japan and South Korea, have hurt the domestic industry.
I am writing to request that the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) conduct an investigation under section 332(g) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1332(g)) regarding the effects of animal health, sanitary, and food safety measures on beef trade between the United States and its major trading partners. The report should cover the period 2002-2007, or the period from 2002 to the latest year for which data are available.
To the extent possible, the report should include the following:
* an overview of the U.S. and global markets for beef, including production, consumption, exports, and imports;
* information on animal health, sanitary, and food safety measures facing U.S. and other major beef exporters in major destination markets;
* information on other barriers to U.S. beef exports in major destination markets, including high tariffs, quotas, and import licensing and distribution systems; and,
* a qualitative and, to the extent possible, quantitative analysis of the economic effects of foreign animal health, sanitary, and food safety measures on U.S. beef exports.
The Commission should provide its completed report no later than ten months from receipt of this request. As we intend to make the report available to the public, we request that it not contain confidential business information.
Sincerely,
Max Baucus
Source: Ranking Member’s News
