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Doud: Structural changes in ag trade with China improve long-term outlook
When it comes to trade with China, daily sales of corn and soybeans continue to garner most of the headlines.
But U.S. chief ag negotiator Gregg Doud says the longer-term outlook is also improving because of behind-the-scenes structural changes contained in the Phase One agreement.
“There were some 57 structural changes that China agreed to make in terms of U.S. agriculture market access into China,” Doud says. “Where we are at, these months later, is that 50 of the 57 changes have been made.”
Doud says some important issues are yet to be resolved, including some involving ractopamine and biotech. But he says they have made “enormous progress” in the areas of beef, poultry and dairy, as well as pet food.
“To get to the 40 billion (dollars) a year in ag trade, which is where we want to go with all of this, you have to all of those things fixed as well—and these are the changes that we’ve made that are now operational for the very first time this year.”
Doud spoke with Brownfield following his presentation at an Agri-Pulse ag outlook forum in Kansas City.
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