Agoa.info - African Growth and Opportunity Act
TRALAC - Trade Law Centre
You are here: Home/News/Article/Representatives Murphy, Feenstra urge Trade Ambassador Tai to "secure fair market access for American pork in South Africa"

Representatives Murphy, Feenstra urge Trade Ambassador Tai to "secure fair market access for American pork in South Africa"

Published date:
Wednesday, 22 May 2024
Author:
Greg Murphy

Today, Congressman Greg Murphy, M.D. sent a letter to the United States Trade Representative, Ambassador Katherine Tai, alongside Congressman Randy Feenstra (I-04), urging her to address barriers restricting America's pork exports to South Africa: 

"Eastern North Carolina is home to many of America’s greatest pork producers who work tirelessly to feed America," said Congressman Greg Murphy, M.D. "Foreign markets are important to our pork industry especially as they face increased operating costs and regulations.

The United States and South Africa have long enjoyed a friendly trade relationship. Unfortunately, the country is not allowing adequate market access for American pork. I encourage Ambassador Tai to engage with her South African counterparts to address this issue."

"Pork production is a vital economic engine for our producers and our rural communities," said Congressman Randy Feenstra. "In Fiscal Year 2022, Iowa led the nation in pork exports, registering at over $2.7 billion. However, due to inflation, burdensome regulations, and other costs, Iowa pork producers are facing major financial losses and market uncertainty.

South Africa’s unfair treatment of American pork exports doesn’t help the situation at hand. That’s why I’m working with Rep. Greg Murphy to hold the Biden administration accountable to hog farmers and ensure that our pork products receive fair treatment in foreign markets in accordance with our trade laws.

Representing the top pork-producing district in the nation, I will continue to work with my colleagues on the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Agriculture Committee to secure fair market access for Iowa pork not only in South Africa, but also across the globe."

"The U.S. pork industry exports over 25% of our annual production, accounting for $64 of value of every hog marketed," said Bryan Humphreys, CEO, National Pork Producers Council. "We can increase the $8 billion of exports seen in 2023 if we remove barriers and expand access.

All parties can benefit from AGOA if South Africa and other AGOA trading partners provide reciprocal benefits for U.S. goods. U.S. pork producers greatly appreciate Rep. Murphy and Rep. Feenstra for leading efforts to ensure reasonable and equitable market access for U.S. exports."

"The North Carolina Pork Council commends North Carolina Congressmen Dr. Gregory Murphy, David Rouzer, Don Davis, Richard Hudson and Wiley Nickel and Iowa Congressman Randy Feenstra on their efforts to ensure trading partners benefiting from the African Growth and Opportunity Act provide reasonable and equitable market access for U.S. exports, including pork," said Roy Lee Lindsey, CEO, North Carolina Pork Council. "Working to remove unscientific barriers to trade will benefit U.S. pork producers and we thank the representatives for recognizing this issue." 

The lawmakers opened their letter saying, “We write to express our concern with restrictions by the Government of South Africa that deny U.S. pork products equitable and reasonable market access. We urge you raise these issues in your bilateral conversations with the South African Government and consider them as you conduct the ongoing African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) annual review process. Further, as Congress considers renewal of AGOA, we stand ready to work with you to ensure the USTR has effective tools available to enforce equitable, science-based treatment for U.S. pork exports to South Africa.”

Download a copy of the letter above

Read related news articles

US Congressional delegation visits Benin to assess implementation of AGOA

US Ambassador Brian Shukan hosted a bipartisan delegation from the United States Congress from March 28-29. The House Ways and Means Committee, led by Chairman Jason Smith focused on economic opportunities for Benin under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). The delegation held discussions with the President and government officials, addressing specific recommendations for AGOA and to inform the reauthorization process. AGOA has...

05 April 2024

US Congressional delegation visits Mauritius to assess implementation of AGOA

A delegation the United States Congress visited Mauritius March 26-27 to assess the implementation of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).   The visit underscored the United States’ commitment to deepening the economic cooperation between our two countries and to support Mauritius’ continued utilization of AGOA benefits. The delegation of eight members from the Congressional Ways and Means and the House Foreign Affairs...

04 April 2024

US-Africa program (AGOA) should be extended through 2041, Senate Democrat says, proposes legislation [Download]

A trade program that grants exports from qualifying African countries duty-free access to the U.S. market should be extended by 16 years, said Democratic Senator Chris Coons, a leading voice on U.S.-Africa policy. Talks are underway for the renewal of the two-decade-old African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which is due to expire in 2025. African countries want a 10-year renewal of the pact ahead of the 2024 U.S. election. President Joe...

06 November 2023

Warning shot fired — top US congressmen urge Biden to move AGOA forum away from South Africa

Powerful leaders of the US Congress have called on the Biden administration to move this year’s Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) forum from South Africa to another African country because of South Africa’s perceived support of Russia in its war against Ukraine.  The letter from top legislators of both the Democratic and Republican parties is the first clear and concrete sign of possible US retaliation to Pretoria’s stance...

12 June 2023

Bipartisan lawmakers in Congress are calling for the renewal of AGOA

 As President Joe Biden hosts nearly 50 African leaders in a summit aiming to boost U.S.-Africa relations, one prominent issue has circulated across the Hill: the renewal of the African Growth and Opportunity Act, which is set to expire in 2025.  What is it? The 22-year-old program works to provide eligible sub-Saharan African nations with additional duty-free access to more than 1,800 designated products, with the aim of...

13 December 2022

US Senator requests return of Ethiopia to AGOA

A U.S senator has requested the senate to return Ethiopia to AGOA as it has been progressing in many aspects. U.S. Senator from Virginia Mark Warner said the U.S. should strengthen and improve the trade relationship between Africa specifically Ethiopia. The Ethiopian government has been pending progress in many aspects, especially the ceasefire. The trade relation between Africa specifically with Ethiopia is important. “We do that...

05 April 2022

Sen. Toomey: Administration’s failure to move FTAs forward comes at huge cost to US

During today’s Senate Finance Committee Hearing with U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai, Senator Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) questioned the Biden Administration’s inaction on free trade agreements (FTAs) and the implication that FTAs are not a tool for the 21stcentury. On the importance of free trade agreements: “Every single presidential administration since Reagan has initiated negotiations on a new [free trade agreement]. They’ve done...

31 March 2022

US legislators seek to codify the Prosper Africa Act

 In January 2022, representatives McCaul (R-TX) and Murphy (D-FL) put forward the Prosper Africa Act (H.R.6455) to codify the existing Prosper Africa initiative into law. This program strives to increase investment and trade cooperation among the United States and African nations. Since 2019, the initiative enabled almost 800 deals worth $50 billion. The codification of Prosper Africa will benefit the program by...

14 March 2022

US Congress: Representatives McCaul, Murphy introduce Prosper Africa Act

House Foreign Affairs Committee Lead Republican Michael McCaul (R-TX) and Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy (D-FL) introduced the Prosper Africa Act to codify interagency efforts and promote, facilitate and increase two-way trade and investment between the United States and Africa.  “Advancing two-way trade and investment between the U.S. and African partners must be a key foreign policy priority,” said Rep....

21 January 2022

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman asks US trade commission to investigate impact of AGOA program

Today, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard E. Neal (D-MA) sent a letter to U.S. International Trade Commission (Commission) Chairman Jason E. Kearns requesting that the Commission initiate a fact-finding investigation on the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), a trade program that fosters economic development in the countries of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Chairman Neal’s request reflects deep interest among members of the...

19 January 2022

You are here: Home/News/Article/Representatives Murphy, Feenstra urge Trade Ambassador Tai to "secure fair market access for American pork in South Africa"