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 As much as one third of all grain produced in the U.S. moves into
export. In 2011, approximately $42.3 billion worth of grains and
oilseeds were exported from the United States.
Only 10 percent of U.S. corn and soybeans brought to market today
are not a genetically modified organism.
In 2013, several foreign markets began rejecting grain shipment that
contained traces of GMOs that by regulation were not yet accepted by
their governments.
Lead U.S. government agencies, all levels of the agriculture
industry - producers, processors, associations - have weighed in
looking at how to work together on this issue of Biotech products
that have not yet been approved in foreign markets.
The result is an ambitious set of trade negotiations in process that
includes the Trans-Pacific partnership and the Transatlantic Trade
and Investment Partnership.
The lead industry groups are lobbying for shared reasonable
responsibility in the trade agreements
From the National Corn Growers Axxosiciate:
"NCGA supports the inclusion of Japan in the TPP negotiations and
continues to call for a comprehensive liberalized final package. A
strong focus on sanitary and phytosanitary issues and nontariff
measures that hamper U.S. agricultural exports 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 of 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 in
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
phytosanitary (SPS) provisions as a critical element of the
agreement.
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"To ensure that the TPP SPS commitments are genuinely meaningful, we
believe they must: 10) 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 are 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.
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