WASHINGTON, D.C. (RFD News) — The African Growth and Opportunity Act is nearing its expiration.
While the law has been used to promote other opportunities, Jim Remcheck with the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) said it could also be used to improve market access for U.S. beef and pork producers across Africa.
“We see tremendous opportunity on the African continent for red meat exports,” Remcheck explains. “Benefits in the past have mainly been suspended in an effort to advance human rights, workers’ rights, or political reforms. However, AGOA has not generally been utilized to leverage improved market access for U.S. agricultural products, even though it was intended as a tool for that purpose to facilitate that two-way trade.”
The federation said a number of countries are currently benefiting from the agreement despite maintaining import restrictions on U.S. beef and pork.
Remcheck pointed to South Africa, which agreed more than a decade ago to lift a ban on U.S. pork.
“South Africa, over 10 years ago, agreed to lift a ban on U.S. pork,” noted Remcheck. “However, South Africa has continued to impose unscientific trade barriers due to Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome, PRRS. So we are encouraging South Africa to adopt a science- and risk-based approach and requirements in line with their WTO commitments for the Nigerian market.”
The African Growth and Opportunity Act was passed by Congress and signed into law in 2000.
