Ag groups highlight concerns as USTR reviews China agreement violations
Agricultural groups in the United States recently submitted comments to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative as part of a new review of China’s compliance with the Phase One Agreement. This review is being conducted under Section 301 of the U.S. Trade Act of 1974, a law that allows the government to take action when another country’s trade practices are considered harmful to U.S. commerce. A public hearing on this matter is scheduled for December 16.
In their submission, national pork representatives explained that China has failed to meet important commitments made in January 2020. One major issue is China’s refusal to complete a scientific risk assessment on ractopamine, a feed additive used in pork and beef production.
Although ractopamine is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and recognized as safe by the Codex Alimentarius Commission, China continues to ban its use. More than 30 countries accept pork produced with ractopamine, but China has not taken steps required under the agreement to review the science behind it.
The Phase One Agreement required China to work with U.S. experts, develop a shared risk assessment, and form a joint working group to discuss next steps. However, these actions have not occurred over the past five years. As a result, the United States has faced barriers when exporting pork to one of the world’s largest consumers of pork products.
This challenge matters to farmers because ractopamine helps increase production efficiency and reduce feed costs. Without China completing the required assessment and allowing imports of pork produced with the additive, U.S. pork exports remain limited. Broader agricultural sales have also been lower than expected due to China’s missed commitments.
Ag groups believe the investigation is an opportunity to address these long-standing concerns and strengthen trade fairness for American farmers. They continue to emphasize that full cooperation from China is necessary to support a more reliable and open agricultural trading relationship.
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