McKinney Concerned About Unfair Ag Trade Practices

A variety of ag groups have expressed concern how recent trade renegotiations and actions may impact their industry from an export perspective.  Agriculture Under Secretary for Trade Ted McKinney, recently acknowledged the potential of such turbulence during a recent Ag Summit in Washington D.C., but he added this is opportunity to resolve other trade issues for the long term.  Issues that also have direct impacts on Agribusiness, such as unfair sanitary and phytosanitary trade barriers.

He used an example from his time in the private sector in agriscience.

"One biotech trait I worked on in 2009, is still languishing in China. There's no problems with that trait," says McKinney.

The Under Secretary believes the discussion is not about whether eliminating such trade barriers is wrong.

"We can argue about the methods, we can argue about the rhetoric, the tone, we must not argue whether it is the right thing to do. The how becomes where we have the discussions.”

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