U.S. Trade Rep. Ambassador Katherine Tai appeared before the Senate Finance Committee and the House Ways & Means Committee this week to discuss the Biden administration’s trade policy agenda—here’s what she said about biotechnology in Mexico, the EU, and more.
Mexico’s treatment of ag biotech
There were bipartisan calls for USTR to confront Mexico’s barriers to ag biotech: “The strong bipartisan vote for USMCA must not be undermined by…Mexico’s refusal to comply with the agriculture biotech provisions,” said Rep. Adrian Smith’s (R-NE) opening statement.
What’s happening? Mexico continues to “delay approval of biotech crops,” noted Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID), and we’re still “experiencing issues with…Mexico living up to their side of this agreement on issues such as ag biotech, sanitary, and phytosanitary standards,” explained Rep. Dan Kildee (D-MI)—catch up here.
“Mexico is blatantly violating the commitments made under USMCA regarding the treatment of biotech products,” said Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) to Ambassador Tai. “What is your strategy?”
“We are looking at all of our tools under the USMCA and thinking through our strategy,” she responded.
“Biotechnology has enormous potential to help us increase productivity while farmers address the climate crisis,” said Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI). “What is your strategy to engage with Mexico and encourage them to implement transparent, science-based approval processes for ag biotechnology, that they already agreed to?”
USTR is working with USDA to pursue a strategy of “cooperation and consultation with our counterparts in Mexico,” responded Ambassador Tai. “We are reassessing where we are and the kind of tools that we need to bring to bear,” and looking at next steps with all partners.
POLITICO Pro’s Morning Agriculture reported Amb. Tai could be hinting “about beginning dispute settlement proceedings against Mexico if negotiated agreements can not be reached on biotech disputes.”
Reminder: Last summer Dr. Michelle called on “USTR to begin taking enforcement action on Mexico’s treatment of agriculture biotechnology.” in her testimony to the Senate Finance Committee.
Where is the ag negotiator?
Reps. Adrian Smith (R-NE), Jason Smith (R-MO), Jodey Arrington (R-TX), and Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) along with Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), John Thune (R-SD), and Michael Bennet (D-CO) all expressed the importance of an ag negotiator to address market access abroad—specifically the Chief Agriculture Negotiator at USTR and Undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs at USDA.
“We are leaving crucial opportunities on the table at a time when we cannot afford to,”said Rep. Adrian Smith (R-NE) in a letter to President Biden on Monday.
We agree.BIO urged Biden to nominate an ag negotiator last year, and the topic came up when Dr. Michelle appeared before the Senate Finance Committee last summer.
The EU and Ukraine
The war in Ukraine is leading to a food crisis—which we’ve reported on extensively. Sen. Grassley asked Ambassador Tai, “What engagement has your agency had with the EU... and will your agency engage with the EU moving forward to enable science-based regulations for biotechnology so farmers in our country and around the world can use biotech to increase production?”
“We are continually engaging with our EU counterparts,” she said. This has always been a challenging issue, but she believes “the current disruptions to trade…provide us new opportunities and windows for collaboration with the EU.”
Catch up: EU considers lifting ban on GMO grains
Indo-Pacific Economic Framework
ICYMI: The White House announced a new Indo-Pacific Strategy in February, and there’s bipartisan support for prioritizing agriculture in the framework.
What should it include? Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), who led a letter to the Biden administration, told Ambassador Tai, It’s important the framework prioritizes agriculture and “sets high standards and reduces non-tariff barriers and ensures sanitary phytosanitary measures are based on sound science."
