Cattle alliance beefs up on trade push

Members of the Five Nations Beef Alliance say talks over the next few days are critical for TPP gains for cattle exporters. Photo / John Stone

Representatives from the Five Nations Beef Alliance are in Maryland this week pushing for beef trade liberalisation through the proposed Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) deal.

The alliance, which comprises industry organisations from New Zealand, Australia, Mexico, Canada and the United States, said the TPP negotiations seemed to be approaching the "end game" and talks over the next few days would be critical.

The TPP, a proposed regional regulatory and investment treaty, is one of the primary goals of the trade agenda of the Obama Administration.

Alliance members are urging TPP negotiating teams to deliver an agreement that will make it easier to do business, establish fair trade rules and reduce costs.

"Beef producers are particularly adamant that any TPP outcome must provide new and substantial market access opportunities," the alliance said.

The alliance comprises the Cattle Council of Australia, Canadian Cattlemen's Association, Mexico's Confederacion Nacional de Organizaciones Ganaderas, Beef and Lamb New Zealand and America's National Cattlemen's Beef Association.

New Zealand does not have free trade agreements with some key beef importers such as Japan, which imposes a 38 per cent tariff on New Zealand exports.

Last year, New Zealand signed a free trade agreement with Korea which for beef exporters will mean the phasing out of duties, which stand at 40 per cent, over 15 years.

Beef and Lamb chief executive Scott Champion said introduction of the Trade Protection Authority bill to the US Congress would prove an important development.

"If that's passed, that means that when a deal is put to the US Congress, it can't be picked apart - it's either voted up or voted down," Champion told the Herald. "And that really puts the pressure on to make sure that it is acceptable before it is put through the US legislative process."

NZ sheepmeat and beef exporters pay about $350 million a year in tariffs - mostly on beef and mostly on exports to Japan and Korea.