AFIA supports progress in USA China trade deal

The American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) has released a statement commending and congratulating the US administration on the signing of a historic phase one trade agreement with China.

The US animal food manufacturing industry faces a number of challenges in this market, including those which have restricted any new US feed additive and premix products to be exported to China since 2011 and those which restrict US feed products with ruminant-origin ingredients and a number of poultry-derived ingredients.

Image credit: US Department of Agriculture on Flickr

 This agreement directly addresses these constraints by streamlining and facilitating a facility registration process for feed additives, premixes and compound feed, as well as lifting the poultry and ruminant ban for animal food products. AFIA looks forward to working with industry and the appropriate US government agencies to facilitate implementation.

AFIA's president and CEO Constance Cullman stated the following, 'Addressing the non-tariff barriers that challenge our industry in the Chinese market has been a top priority for AFIA for nearly a decade. I am very excited about what this agreement means for the US animal food industry and reopening the Chinese market for our products. I'm grateful for the hard work and enduring efforts of our trade negotiators on our behalf and the administration as a whole for defending the enhancement of productive trading relationships and supporting US businesses and exports.'

AFIA's Chairman Tim Belstra commented, 'Representing AFIA and its members today at this historic signing was a stark reminder of the importance of trade and opening markets for our industry. I am elated by what this agreement represents for our industry and the many exports it will facilitate as a result. This is indeed a landmark opportunity not only for the US animal food industry, but also for the livestock and poultry industries in China to further expand their feed ingredient inputs and technology.'

Visit the AFIA website, HERE.

The Aquaculturists

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