Perdue Disappointed With Lack of NAFTA Progress But Expects Ag Issues to Heat Up
Perdue spoke to the Washington International Trade Association. On NAFTA, Perdue said he believes there is a “real opportunity” to open Canadian dairy markets. He said he has been somewhat disappointed in NAFTA rounds so far, but believes the next round will be an opportunity to bring up more-serious agricultural issues.
President Donald Trump, he noted, “campaigned on better trade agreements,” expects “more from our trading partners,” and is determined to enforce trade agreements.
Perdue sounded as though his decision to move the U.S. Codex from the jurisdiction of the Office of the Undersecretary for Food Safety to the Office of the Undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs is final. However, the Food and Drug Administration said in comments to USDA this week it could hurt U.S. efforts to promote agricultural trade because other countries will view that office as too close to industry.
Asked by DTN about FDA’s comment letter made public Tuesday, Perdue said he would never discuss interagency politics in the press and it was “unfortunate” FDA did not raise the issue privately with him.
If he had a dispute with FDA, Perdue said, he would call up FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb and talk to him about it.
Perdue said “our people at USDA” believe food safety standards can be upheld and Ted McKinney, the undersecretary for trade and foreign agricultural affairs who was confirmed Tuesday, “can be more effective in competing with international groups that are using codex standards as trade weapons.”