Agricultural Trade Issues

Russia Accession to WTO– Benefits for U.S. Agriculture

On December 16, 2011, Trade Ministers at the 8th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization adopted the terms and conditions Russia’s accession to the WTO and extended an invitation to Russia to join the organization. This decision represents the substantive conclusion of 18 years of negotiations. Russia’s membership in the WTO will benefit U.S. businesses by improving market access for U.S. exports of goods and services and bringing Russia into a system of established, enforceable, multilateral trade rules.

USTR Background Page on Russia Accession to the WTO

Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) overview

Agriculture overview

Trans-Pacific Partnership

On November 12, 2011, the Leaders of the nine Trans-Pacific Partnership countries – Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, Vietnam, and the United States – announced the achievement of the broad outlines of an ambitious, 21st-century Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement that will enhance trade and investment among the TPP partner countries, promote innovation, economic growth and development, and support the creation and retention of jobs.

For more information, Click Here to visit the USTR TPP overview page.