Trade talks are underway between Japan and the United States this week as Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer meets with Japan’s Economic Advisor. Agriculture complaints are “front and center” according to Politico, ever since President Trump withdrew the U.S. from the then-called Trans-Pacific Partnership. The Trump administration is expected to push for similar concessions for U.S. agriculture as seen in the …
Lawmakers say No to Potential EU-U.S. Trade Agreement without Agriculture
A bipartisan group of lawmakers is demanding the Trump Administration force the European Union to include agriculture in upcoming trade talks. A group of 114 lawmakers penned a letter this week to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer stating, “an agreement with the EU that does not address trade in agriculture would be, in our eyes, unacceptable.” The U.S. and EU …
U.S., Canada Trade Officials Discussing Next Steps
The U.S. and Canada are discussing the next steps for approving the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement that will replace the North American Free Trade Agreement. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer visited Canada this week meeting with his Canadian counterpart, Chrystia Freeland. A spokesperson for Freeland told Bloomberg News the meeting was an “opportunity to take stock of the next steps on USMCA.” …
Lighthizer Testimony: NAFTA Deal Possible in August
During congressional testimony on Thursday, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer told lawmakers that it’s entirely possible that the three North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) members will reach a deal in August. Lighthizer says that would meet the Mexican objective of having current President Enrique Pena Nieto sign the deal before he leaves office in December. Bloomberg says U.S. trade …
Senate to Hold Trade Hearing This Week
U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer will be the only witness to give testimony during a hearing this week before a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee. Lighthizer is one of the key Trump administration members at the center of the president’s trade strategy that’s led to retaliatory tariffs from China, Mexico, Canada, the European Union, and others. Many of those tariffs are hitting …
First-Ever WTO Counter Notification Against India’s Market Price Support Issued by U.S.
U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced that the United States submitted a counter notification in the World Trade Organization (WTO) Committee on Agriculture (COA) on India’s market price support (MPS) for wheat and rice. Filed on May 4, 2018, this is the first ever COA notification under the WTO Agreement on Agriculture regarding another …
NAFTA Talks Continue This Week
The Renegotiation effort of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) continues this week with all sides eager to finish the talks. Representatives from the United States, Canada and Mexico are pushing to finalize an updated agreement this week. However, as Bloomberg reports, several contentious issues remain unresolved as the talks have stretched over more than eight months, including dairy. …
NAFTA Talks Facing Possible Turning Point
NAFTA talks are facing a possible turning point this month that will yield either a breakthrough or even the suspension of talks. Mexico’s Congress wraps up its regular session on April 30th. The country is widely expected to elect a new anti-NAFTA president on July 1st, and the U.S. holds key midterm congressional elections in November. Against that backdrop, the …
Ag Groups Get a Face-to-Face with USTR Negotiator
The U.S. Trade Representative’s new chief agricultural negotiator opened his doors on Friday to major agriculture industry groups. Greg Doud invited them in for meetings to discuss priorities and concerns about the North American Free Trade Talks and other trade negotiations. Farm groups representing commodity producers and agricultural processing associations likely expressed a lot of fears that tariffs against China …
Lighthizer Hopeful of New NAFTA Deal
U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer told CNBC television Wednesday he is “hopeful” there will be compromise and a deal reached on the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). His comments follow those from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who earlier this week said a “win-win-win deal is not only possible but likely.” Lighthizer said Wednesday he is optimistic the three …