U.S. food and feed exporters have signed China’s declaration letters to assure the safety of their product from COVID-19.
China requested exporters sign official declarations that their produce is not contaminated by the coronavirus following a breakout of cases in a Chinese market. However, some shippers have decided to forego trade with the country as a result of the request. “
You’re not signing your name to a guarantee that they have no coronavirus. Nobody can do that. Coronavirus does not live on food or plants,” said Peter Friedmann, executive director of AgTC, which represents exporters of U.S. agricultural products in shipping containers.
“We are aware that the Trump administration has objected to China’s actions and request that the administration continue to pressure the Chinese government until it reverses this ill-timed and scientifically indefensible trade barrier,” said Dave Puglia, Western Growers’ CEO and president.
