April 27,2007

Grassley on Korea’s Acceptance of U.S. Beef Shipment

Sen. Chuck Grassley, ranking member of the Committee on Finance, with jurisdiction over international trade, today made the following comment on South Korea’s acceptance of a shipment of U.S. beef.

“I’m glad the shipment made it through. It’s about time. Korea announced that it would resume imports of U.S. boneless beef from U.S. cattle under 30 months in September 2006. We’d signed an agreement to re-open the Korean market in January 2006. I'm frustrated that it’s taken more than a year for Korea to accept our beef. And that’s on our fourth attempt. The first three shipments – including a shipment from Iowa – were rejected due to the alleged presence of bone chips. Again, I urge Korea to fully re-open its market to U.S. beef, boneless or bone-in, from all ages of cattle, in conformity with the scientific findings of the World Organization for Animal Health. If Korea continues to block or limit imports of U.S. beef for non-scientific reasons, I guarantee that the U.S. Congress won’t implement the U.S.-Korea free trade agreement. That would be a wasted opportunity to expand trade between our countries.”

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