New agreement removes trade barriers for US pork and beef exports
On March 13, Ecuador became the ninth country to sign an Agreement on Reciprocal Trade with the United States, marking a major step for U.S. pork and beef exports. The agreement is expected to take some time to fully implement, but it promises to remove both tariff and non-tariff barriers for American meat products.
Currently, tariffs on U.S. pork and beef are significant, with a 45% duty on pork and a 20% duty on beef. Some exceptions remain, such as a 30% tariff on processed pork products, which will continue under the new deal.
In addition to reducing tariffs, the agreement recognizes all U.S. facilities inspected by the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) as eligible for export to Ecuador. This change eliminates the previous requirement for individual facility approvals, simplifying the export process.
To estimate the potential impact, U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) Vice President for Economic Analysis Erin Borror points to Guatemala, a country with a similar population and income levels.
After Guatemala entered the U.S. free trade agreement (CAFTA-DR) in 2006, pork exports rose from $10 million to $148 million, and U.S. beef exports grew from under $3 million to $105 million.
Before the Ecuador agreement, U.S. pork exports to the country were negligible, and beef exports were limited to just $3 million in 2025. With the new trade deal, industry experts expect a substantial increase in both pork and beef sales, benefiting U.S. farmers and strengthening trade ties with Ecuador.
This agreement opens a significant opportunity for U.S. meat exports while streamlining regulatory processes, Borror emphasized, highlighting the potential long-term benefits for the U.S. meat industry.
The deal is expected to boost exports gradually as both countries adjust to the new framework, ultimately supporting growth, efficiency, and stronger trade relations in the region.
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