CongressDaily / March 28, 2000
The meat industry is not as impressed as Trade Representative Barshefsky and Agriculture Secretary Glickman by the Chinese government's publication of rules regarding American meat imports.
When the Chinese government issued the rules last week, both Barshefsky and Glickman made public statements lauding the action. Barshefsky said the rules on meat, citrus and pork "mark final implementation of the Agreement on U.S.-China Agricultural Cooperation signed between the United States and China last April."
But the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, the National Pork Producers' Council and the American Meat Institute issued a joint statement later that indicated they are not nearly as satisfied with the level of progress as Barshefsky.
"China's publication of rules governing American meat imports is a positive step in the right direction but it does not amount to full implementation of the bilateral agreement on agriculture signed last year," the statement by three groups said.
The meat industry groups said they "must withhold judgment on the practical impact of these rules until reports begin to arrive from Chinese ports.":
