The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), an organization charged with increasing the value and profitability of the U.S. beef, pork and lamb industries by enhancing demand in international markets, strongly supports passage of legislation extending presidential Trade Promotion Authority (TPA).
"The United States is currently engaged in the most critical free trade agreement negotiations in our nation's history," said USMEF President and CEO Philip Seng. "Both the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) have untold potential for U.S. agricultural exports. For these negotiations to fulfill their potential, our trade officials need the strongest possible hand when they are at the negotiating table. Our trading partners need to know that once these agreements are negotiated, they are not going to be changed as they go through the approval process in Congress. The Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities Act introduced this week will ensure that Congress continues to have a strong voice on trade while giving the administration the support it needs to achieve the best possible outcome for the U.S. red meat industry from the TPP and TTIP negotiations."