IDFA Joins in Call to Congress to Approve South American Trade Deals

IDFA and 44 other food and agriculture organizations submitted a letter to Congress last week expressing support for the bilateral free trade agreements that the United States concluded and signed with Colombia and Peru last year. The joint letter calls for swift congressional consideration and ratification of both agreements.

"IDFA members look forward to being able to increase their trade with these two countries, and we urge members of Congress to ratify the agreements without delay," said Clay Hough, IDFA senior vice president and general counsel.

U.S. dairy exports to Peru last year reached approximately $12 million, while exports to Colombia in 2006 were valued at $6 million.

Once implemented, the U.S.-Peru Free Trade Agreement will give the U.S. dairy industry immediate duty-free and quota-free access for whey and lactose exports as well as tariff-free access for sizeable amounts of cheese, ice cream and processed dairy products. The new trade pact also will allow Peru to export an additional 11,000 metric tons of sugar into the U.S. market in the first year of implementation.

IDFA also supports the U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement, which will provide improved market access for U.S. dairy products. Here, too, U.S. dairy exporters will gain immediate duty-free and quota-free access for whey and lactose exports and increased tariff-free access for cheese, ice cream and processed dairy products. The pact also permits Colombia to export 50,000 metric tons of sugar at a relatively low tariff.

To read the joint letter to Congress, click here.

To learn more about these free trade agreements or to join IDFA's International Trade Committee, contact Helen Medina, IDFA manager of international affairs, at hmedina@idfa.org or 202-220-3507.

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Posted February 26, 2007