What's New - May 2006
U.S., Vietnam Sign Historic Bilateral Market Access Agreement
The bilateral agreement, to be implemented fully when Vietnam joins the WTO,
will create significant new opportunities for U.S. producers and exporters
of industrial and agricultural goods as well as U.S. services providers.
(USTR; 05/31/06)
—
U.S. and Vietnam Sign Bilateral Market-Access Agreement
(U.S. Department of State;
05/31/06)
—
Remarks of Deputy USTR Bhatia at the Signing Ceremony (05/31/06)
—
Vietnam's Accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO): Fact Sheet on
Bilateral Market Access Agreement on Agricultural Goods (05/31/06)
—
U.S.–Vietnam
Bilateral
Agreement Sets New Standard (USDA Radio News;
05/30/06 -
real,
mp3)
Deputy USTRs Schwab, Bhatia Attend APEC
Meeting This Week
At the meeting in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, June 1-2, U.S. officials
hope to advance global trade negotiations and make "strong progress" in all
areas, particularly agriculture, industrial goods, services, trade
facilitation and development. Concluding WTO negotiations in 2006 is
critical to the President's agenda to expand economic opportunities for
American farmers, workers and businesses.
(USTR; 05/30/06)
—
U.S. Officials To Attend APEC Trade Ministers'
Meeting June 1-2
(U.S. Department of State; 05/31/06)
USDA Issues 2005
Food Security
Assessment
At
the 1996 World Food
Summit, 186 countries
pledged to reduce world hunger by half by 2015. In this report, USDA
has estimated and projected the number
of hungry people globally, regionally, and in each of the 70 lower income
countries studied.
(05/31/06)
India, U.S. Agreed to an Action Plan To Increase Bilateral Economic
Engagement
During the fourth meeting of the U.S.–India Trade Policy Forum in New Delhi,
both sides developed an action plan to move forward to a higher level of
bilateral economic engagement in preparation for the forthcoming visit of
Minister Nath to the U.S. (05/30/06)
USDA, USAID and California Polytechnic State University Work Together To
Teach Food Safety in Afghanistan
The food safety workshops USDA is conducting will give the Afghan dried
fruit and nut industry the knowledge it needs to meet other countries'
import requirements so they can participate in foreign exchange. (05/30/06)
U.S. and Taiwan Discuss Enhancing and Deepening Trade Relations Under
Trade And Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA)
The two sides discussed in depth a wide range of important bilateral
trade issues including agriculture, pharmaceutical pricing and regulation,
government procurement and telecommunications policy.
(05/26/06)
—
Remarks by Ambassador Karan Bhatia Before the American Chamber of Commerce
(05/26/06)
—
Transcript of Question and Answer Session by Ambassador Karan Bhatia
(.pdf;
05/26/06)
—
Transcript of Remarks by Ambassador Karan Bhatia Following the TIFA Talks
(.pdf;
05/26/06)
United States and Switzerland Sign "Trade and Investment Cooperation
Forum" Agreement
Agreement opens door for U.S.–Swiss discussions on bilateral trade and
related issues and ways to strengthen our economic relationship. U.S.
exports of agricultural products to Switzerland in 2005 totaled $171
million, including meat, cotton, tree nuts, and wine and beer. (05/25/06)
—
Text of agreement (05/25/06)
FY 2006 Quarterly Export Forecasts for Ag,
Fishery & Solid Wood Products
Changes in FY '06 Forecast since February…
AgExports raised $2.5 billion to record $67
billion
AgImports raised $1.5 billion to $65 billion
AgTrade Surplus raised $1 billion to $2
billion (05/24/06)
—
FAS/ERS Report:
Record Agricultural Trade Levels Forecast for Fiscal 2006 (05/24/06)
USDA Radio Reports on
Ag Trade Forecasts:
—
U.S. Ag Exports Forecast To
Set Another Record (05/25/06
-
real,
mp3)
—
Reasons for Increase in U.S.
Farm Exports (05/25/06
-
real,
mp3)
—
U.S. Agricultural Imports
Continue To Rise (05/25/06
-
real,
mp3)
USDA Secretary Says American Agriculture Can't Afford to "Play It Safe"
in Trade Relations
Johanns spoke to the World Bank's Bretton Woods Committee's annual meeting
on agricultural trade and farm policy. (05/23/06)
U.S.
Proposes Changes to Coffee Agreement To Help Small Farmers
The United States has proposed reforms to help small coffee farmers cope
with unpredictable market conditions. Goals include
better credit access, capacity building, and sustainability. (U.S.
Department of State; 05/23/06)
More
Information Now Available on U.S. Trade and Investment Mission to Kazakhstan
U.S. firms can respond by June 9 to USDA's invitation to the U.S. Agribusiness
Trade and Investment Mission
to the Republic of Kazakhstan. (05/19/06)
—
Johanns Announces Trade and Investment Mission to Kazakhstan (05/12/06)
USDA
Officials Visit Asian Countries To Negotiate for U.S. Beef Trade
—
U.S.,
Japan Fail To Reach Final Agreement on Reopening Beef Trade (U.S.
Department of State; 05/22/06)
—
U.S., Japan Fail To Reach Final Agreement on
Reopening Beef Trade (U.S. Department of
State; 05/19/06)
—
USDA Acting Under Secretary Lambert
Speaks to the Press After Tokyo Beef Talks
(05/19/06)
—
USDA Audit Report for U.S. Beef (Export
Verification Program for Japan; 05/19/06)
—
USDA Under Secretary Lambert Presents Opening
Statement for Tokyo Beef Talks (05/17/06)
—
Negotiators See Progress on U.S.-China Beef
Trade Protocol (U.S. Department of State;
05/16/06)
—
USDA Concludes First Round of Talks on Protocol for Resumption of U.S.
Beef Sales to China (05/15/06)
—
United States, Vietnam Conclude In Principle
Bilateral WTO Accession Agreement on Market
Access (USTR; 05/14/06)
USDA Radio Reports on Asian Ag
Trade Talks:
—
China Pears Going Head-To-Head With U.S.
Varieties (05/30/06
-
real,
mp3)
—
China Expected To Resume U.S. Beef Trade
(05/23/06
-
real,
mp3,
wave)
—
Vietnam Bilateral Agreement Sets New Standards
(05/19/06
-
real,
mp3)
—
U.S.–Vietnam
Agreement Will Set a New Standard (05/19/06
-
real,
mp3)
—
U.S. Farm Exports to Vietnam Should Soon Grow
(05/19/06
-
real,
mp3)
—
One More Step Towards Reopening Japanese Beef Market (05/18/06
-
real,
mp3,
wave)
—
A Free Trade Agreement With Korea Would Be a
Very Good Thing (05/18/06
-
real,
mp3,
wave)
—
China and U.S. Need More Agreement on Beef Trade (05/16/06
-
real,
mp3)
—
USDA Official Positive About China Resuming Beef Trade (05/16/06
-
real,
mp3)
—
China’s Growing Economy (05/16/06
-
real,
mp3)
—
The China Factor
(05/10/06 -
real,
mp3,
wave)
—
Large Chinese Contingent At U.S.
Food Export Showcase
(05/08/06 -
real,
mp3,
wave)
—
China Still
Main Competitor To U.S. Pears Globally
(05/05/06 -
real,
mp3,
wave)
— China Could
Become Corn Importer This Season
(05/04/06 -
real,
mp3,
wave)
U.S. Agricultural Trade Update
USDA's Economic Research Service released the May 2006 report on the
quantity and value of U.S. farm exports and imports, plus price trends,
keeping readers abreast of how U.S. agricultural trade stacks up in a global
market. (05/15/06)
USDA Radio Reports on Growth in Farm Exports:
— U.S. Farm Export Numbers
Continue To Climb: FAS Administrator Mike Yost shares
a very positive forecast for U.S. agricultural exports.
(05/17/06 -
real,
mp3,
wave)
—
On Growth in Farm Exports: FAS
Administrator Mike Yost talks about areas of growth for farm exports.
(05/17/06 -
real,
mp3,
wave)
USDA Radio Reports on
Agricultural Trade:
—
Upgrading U.S. Bilaterials on Phytosanitary
Issues:
Under Secretary of
Agriculture J.B. Penn talking about current
renegotiation of bilateral trade agreements to
comply with OIE standards. (05/19/06
-
real,
mp3)
— The
Importance of Trade to the U.S.: FAS Administrator Mike Yost
provides an update.
(05/18/06 -
real,
mp3,
wave)
—
Support for USDA’s Market Access Program: FAS Administrator Mike Yost
says USDA's Market
Access Program helps small food processing
companies find their niche on the world
marketplace. (05/18/06 -
real,
mp3,
wave)
— On Exporting U.S. Organic
Products: Find out how USDA's Market Access
Program helps promote organic trade. (05/17/06 -
real,
mp3,
wave)
—
Organic Growth: The organic products
industry is growing very fast. At this year's Big Food Show in Chicago the
organic show was very popular with buyers. (05/17/06 -
real,
mp3,
wave)
—Farmers
Maintaining Trade Surplus: Farmers continue to
hold on to a trade surplus with other countries. (05/16/06
-
real,
mp3)
— Import
Rules Changes for Produce Being Considered:
The government is proposing changes to fruit and
vegetable import rules that could make trade easier and inspections faster. (05/16/06
-
real,
mp3)
— Building an Overseas Market:
USDA Radio provides tips on where to get help if
you are interested in building your business overseas. (05/16/06
-
real,
mp3)
— The
Formula for Successful Exporting:
What makes a successful domestic product into one that is popular
overseas? (05/16/06
-
real,
mp3)
— Trade Important to
U.S. Farmers
(05/10/06 -
real,
mp3,
wave)
Johanns Announces Resumption of Wheat Exports to Mexico From California
After 10-Year Ban (05/12/06)
—
U.S. Pleased by Resumption of California Wheat Exports to Mexico: Mexico
had banned exports after 1996 outbreak of Karnal bunt disease (U.S.
Department of State; 05/14/06)
U.S. To
Complete Inspection Of Meat Plants For Japan
Very Soon
(USDA Radio; 05/09/06 -
real,
mp3,
wave)
U.S. Agriculture, Trade Officials Report on WTO
Negotiations During Press Briefing in Geneva
(05/03/06)
—
AUDIO: Johanns And US Trade Representative
Rob Portman Brief Media On WTO DOHA Talks
(05/03/06;
Transcript)
—
Charts:
Impact of Doha Proposals on NAMA Tariffs and
Impact of Doha Proposals on Agriculture Tariffs
(05/03/06)
—
Few Weeks Remain for Success in WTO
Negotiations, Official Says: Few Weeks
Remain for Success in WTO Negotiations, Official
Says (U.S. Department of State; 05/03/06)
—
European Union Criticized For
Slowing Down WTO Negotiations
(USDA Radio; 05/03/06 -
real,
mp3,
wave)
—
Statement of Ambassador Peter Allgeier Bsefore the Trade Negotiations
Committee (05/01/06)
—
Minor Agreement Not Acceptable Result of Doha
Trade Talks: USTR's
Allgeier warns against further delay on tough
issues (U.S. Department of State;
05/01/06)
—
A Great Divide
Remains At WTO
(USDA Radio; 05/01/06 -
real,
mp3,
wave)
Russia Orders Reissue of Poultry Import Permits
(FAS Attaché Report; 04/28/06, .pdf)
—
Reaction To Russian Poultry Import Ban
(USDA Radio; 04/28/06 -
real,
mp3,
wave)
USDA Releases BSE Prevalence Estimate For U.S. (04/28/06)
—
Transcript of Teleconference
—
USDA Report Shows Very Low BSE
Prevalence In U.S. Cattle
(USDA Radio; 04/28/06 -
real,
mp3,
wave)
U.S., Canada Reach Agreement on Lumber Dispute (04/27/06)