U.S. poultry groups pushing for more access to Canadian market

September 25, 2012 – The National Chicken Council and the USA Poultry & Egg Export Council (USAPEEC) have released a statement in response to the U.S. International Trade Commission’s (USITC) request for comments and investigation on negotiating objectives with respect to Mexico’s and Canada’s participation in the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP).

The groups said in the statement: “The U.S. poultry industry strongly opposes Canada’s participation in TPP unless Canada expressly commits to removing all border restrictions on poultry imports from the United States, including any restrictions claimed on the basis of supply control. Canada is free to maintain its domestic supply control system if it wishes; but it cannot maintain border restrictions on poultry if it wants to participate in a free trade arrangement such as TPP.”

Bill Roenigk, senior vice president with the National Chicken Council has stated in a Reuters article published September 24, 2012 that Canada’s entry into the TPP (if allowed) will give the U.S. poultry industry a “second chance” to address Canada’s poultry tariffs, something the U.S. thought would the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) would have eliminated almost 20 years ago.