WASHINGTON — The US-China Board of Trade, formed in May during President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing, created new recommendations for non-sensitive products that may qualify for better trade treatment. The US Meat Export Federation (USMEF) was encouraged that beef and pork, including variety meats, could be considered for reduced tariffs and more favorable trade treatment.

“We’re especially encouraged that the two sides are really looking to separate trade between non-sensitive goods under the recently established US-China Board of Trade,” said Dan Halstrom, president and chief executive officer of USMEF. “I think, in particular, US beef and pork would be included, as well as variety meats, on this list of products to be considered for more favorable treatment from a duty standpoint.”

On Sept. 27, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer issued a statement on the new recommendations.

“As a direct result of the strong relationship between President Trump and President Xi, the United States and China, under the auspices of the new Board of Trade, have recommended $30 billion of trade in non-sensitive goods on each side that could benefit from more favorable tariff treatment in the future,” he said. “From agricultural products to medical devices, President Trump is unlocking improved market access for about 30% of US exports to China, while benefiting consumers with imports from China of household goods, toys and other products that the United States generally does not import from other countries.”

With hopes of improved market access to China, Halstrom is optimistic that certain testing requirements for US pork and beef could be alleviated.

“This also provides a path forward where we can maybe separate agriculture — and specifically US beef and pork — from some of these other overlying high-level issues, whether they be Taiwan or anything else for that matter,” he said. “The reality is that our issues are mainly scientific trade issues that have to be worked out. The devil’s in the details, and I think this does provide us a path forward to get some clarification around some of the testing requirements that are required for US beef and pork, for example.”

Both US beef and pork face retaliatory duties in China. Several non-tariff barriers also persist, such as the suspension of many US beef processing and cold storage facilities as well as “onerous and inconsistent inspection requirements,” USMEF said.

“We are struggling at the moment with high retaliatory tariffs, and the discussions last week could very well lead to some relief in the tariff side,” Halstrom said. “Currently our largest export market for pork variety meats is China, and we still have a 47% duty on US variety meats going into China.

“So, No. 1, it’s important that we don’t have it go any higher, and No. 2, that we get it down to the more reasonable level we were at prior to when all this started.”

Before the end of the year, a technical agricultural working group under the US-China Board of Trade will meet.

Rachael Oatman is the digital media associate editor for MEAT+POULTRY. She has been at Sosland Publishing Company since 2022, covering the industry and managing the digital media channels of the publication. She also writes and edits web stories, images, about the meat industry. Oatman is a graduate of John Brown University.

Connect with Rachael Oatman on LinkedIn or via email.