Tolerance for U.S. Beef Shipments Key – Senate Ag Chairman Warns
US - Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) told the top U.S. trade negotiators in a December 13 letter that without South Korea’s resumption of U.S. beef exports and the acceptance of a bone tolerance for future shipments, he and several Senate Agriculture Committee members would work to oppose an overall free trade agreement with South Korea.
14 December 2006
1 minute read
The letter to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns and U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab was signed by Chairman Chambliss and Senators Pat Roberts (R-KS), Norm Coleman (R-MN), Pat Leahy (D-VT), Craig Thomas (R-WY), Kent Conrad (D-ND) and Jim Talent (R-MO), urging suspension of all negotiations with South Korea until exports of U.S. beef resume and both countries agree on reasonable and fair bone tolerance levels for future shipments.
“As Members of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, we regret coming to this decision since Korea is an important ally and trading partner. However, we cannot reward bad behavior and must stand behind farmers and ranchers in the United States who produce the safest, highest quality product the world has to offer.”
Source: The Weekly
