U.S. Agricultural Trade Negotiator Doug McKalip recently shared insights into efforts aimed at widening foreign markets for American beef. McKalip emphasized the importance of face-to-face discussions in dismantling non-tariff trade barriers with major trading partners.
“For example, Japan has greatly expanded their access for our products, and that’s a $2.3 billion market for US beef,” McKalip stated, highlighting the significant strides made in penetrating Japan’s lucrative market.
McKalip underscored challenges within agreements like the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), where non-scientific trade barriers continue to hinder American product entry. “There are, just over the course of the last year, about $6 billion that we were able to save by getting countries to remove those regulatory hurdles,” he explained, emphasizing the impact on beef exporters.
Regarding ongoing disputes, the U.S. initiated a second trade dispute settlement panel concerning Canada’s dairy import quotas, alleging Ottawa’s failure to comply with a previous ruling favoring the U.S.
McKalip also highlighted Southeast Asia’s growing significance as a prime target for market expansion, citing its burgeoning population and middle class as key factors.
