The U.S. and Japan have come to an agreement to increase the beef safeguard trigger level under the U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement.
The new three-trigger safeguard mechanism will allow U.S. exporters to meet Japan’s growing demand for beef and reduce the probability that Japan will impose higher tariffs in the future, according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.
The three triggers are the following: Beef imports from the U.S. must exceed the original beef safeguard trigger level under the U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement, the aggregate volume of imports from the U.S. and the original signatories of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) must exceed the CPTPP beef safeguard, and imports from the U.S. must exceed its total amount of beef imports from the previous year.
“While the details of the agreement in principle have not been disclosed, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) is encouraged that today’s announcement means we are taking necessary steps to secure long-term solutions that enable American cattle producers to continue providing Japanese consumers with high-quality U.S. beef at competitive prices,” said Kent Bacus, NCBA senior director of international trade and market access.
