IDFA submitted comments last Thursday to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) in preparation for its 2019 National Trade Estimate Report. Published annually, the report lists the many tariff and non-tariff barriers, like protective measures and technical obstacles to trade, that U.S. companies face around the world.
“By compiling a comprehensive review of barriers to trade, U.S. policymakers can work more effectively to resolve the issues of importance to dairy exporters,” said Beth Hughes, IDFA senior director of international affairs.
Based on input from members, IDFA’s comments referenced obstacles dairy companies face overseas, including but not limited to:
- Remaining concerns about access to Canada’s dairy market after the U.S.-Mexico-Canada agreement implementation. IDFA said some market access in the agreement won’t be realized unless the U.S. lifts its steel and aluminum tariffs and Canada and Mexico remove retaliations on U.S. dairy exports.
- The retaliatory tariffs China has placed on U.S. dairy exports in response to tariffs that the United States placed on Chinese products in July.
- European Union attempts to restrict U.S. companies’ use of common cheese names in markets abroad, as well as the resulting strain in U.S. trade relationships with partners like Mexico and Japan.
- The United Kingdom and the United States’ pending and unpredictable trade relationship post-Brexit; and
- India’s de facto ban on U.S. dairy products and other restrictions to trade in Indonesia and Russia.
The annual report is based on information compiled within USTR, the departments of Commerce and Agriculture and other U.S. government agencies, as well as information provided by members of private sector trade advisory committees and U.S. embassies abroad.
The report is expected to be published the last day of March 2019.
This year’s report, which included data on more than 60 countries and trade blocs, can be found here.
For more information, contact Hughes at bhughes@idfa.org.