The Trump administration is moving quickly to implement tariffs on $7.5 billion of imports from the European Union in response to the bloc’s subsidies to Airbus. National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane says it’s too early to tell what effects those tariffs will have on agricultural trade talks with the E.U.
He says there have been many positives happening lately with U.S. trade deals and they’re hoping to be able to move forward to include agriculture in a possible trade pact with the E.U. in the future.
Lane says they’re also optimistic about the next round of trade talks with China as they’re negotiators are due in the U.S. next week for further discussions.
Chris Galen of the National Milk Producers Federation says if the U.S. applies 25 percent tariffs, they hope U.S. dairy products will be left off the E.U. retaliation list. Going forward, they want an EU trade agreement that deals with the E.U.s biggest trade barrier, which is geographical indicators.
The U.S. Trade Representative’s Office has the authority to apply a 100 percent tariff on affected products, and the authority to increase tariffs at any time or change the product affected.
