WTO

The U.S. is currently in a third round of talks to redo the World Trade Organization’s trade dispute arbitration system.  The U.S. Ambassador to the WTO told Reuters that America wants it to be fully up and running by the end of 2024.   The WT...

R-CALF USA is making a push for Congress to consider mandatory country-of-origin labeling of beef.  The organization is encouraging its members and others to show their support to lawmakers for the American Beef Labeling Act.  The bill was introduced by Republican Senators John Thune and Mike Rounds, alongside Democrats Jon Tester and Cory Booker last month.     The legi...

Consumers notice it every time they’ve visit their local grocery store. Prices for meat, specifically beef have increased quite a bit over the past couple of years. But where is that money going? Tom Sharp, President of the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association said consumers need to know those extra dollars they’re paying are not making it into the pockets of ranchers. “Those profit ...

Last week, a bipartisan group of four Senators jointly announced the American Beef Labeling Act. The legislation would mandate the reinstatement of beef and beef products into the existing Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling Law (M-COOL), allowing for a 12-month development and implementation grace period. ...

The World Trade Organization this week established a dispute panel requested by China. The panel will determine whether China complied with an earlier WTO ruling regarding the administration of its tariff rate quotas. China submitted its second request for a dispute panel to determine whether it has complied with a 2019 ruling concerning its TRQs for certain agricultural products, including wheat,

The National Foreign Trade Council last week re-launched the Tariff Reform Coalition. The coalition is a broad alliance of business and agriculture groups substantially harmed by the import tariffs imposed by the previous Administration. The group urges the rollback of Section 232 and Section 301 tariffs, saying the tariffs "are causing serious damage to those already struggling ... Read Mo

The Ag community is starting to learn more and more about what President Biden's trade focus will look like in the years to come. USDA's Senior Economist Sharon Sydow, said new concepts will take center stage. "Certainly climate change, sustainability, food systems, new technologies and regulatory approaches ...

Earlier this week, R-CALF urged ranchers to send emails to the White House in favor of Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling for beef. The organization issued an action alert saying, “emails needed this week to the White House and calls needed to congress for M-COOL.” Fo ...

A coalition of 62 leading U.S. agriculture stakeholders is asking for continued membership in the World Trade Organization. A Corn Refiners Association sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, as well as leaders of the Senate Finance, House Ways and Means, and the House and Senate Ag Committees calling for effective WTO reform ...

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer says he's unhappy with a World Trade Organization report that said U.S. actions to combat China’s widespread theft of American technology were inconsistent with WTO rules. Lighthizer said the WTO panel report confirms what the Trump Administration has been saying all along. ...