IARN — Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley applauded Taiwan’s announcement of lower trade barriers for U.S. beef and pork. “Taiwan is taking steps to improve market access for American beef and pork producers by trying to bring its measures in line with international standards,” says Grassley, the Chair of the Senate Finance Committee. “I welcome this progress because our farmers have been kept out of this market for far too long.” He says Taiwan’s leadership will need to work with the legislature to finalize this process, but that’s expected since Taiwan is a vibrant democracy. “I’ll be following this matter closely and look forward to an improved agricultural and economic relationship between Taiwan and the American people,” he adds.
At a press conference last week, the President of Taiwan said she’d instructed the government to ease regulations to allow imports of American pork containing trace amounts of an animal-feed additive used by some U.S. farms, as well as U.S. beef products from cattle age 30 months and older. U.S. officials have long regarded these restrictions as the main barrier to closer trade links with Taiwan.
Story courtesy of the Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network.
