Taiwan U.S. Beef Dispute Not Over

U.S. and Taiwan to Resume Trade Talks

By Amanda Brodhagen, Farms.com

The announcement made by the Taiwanese government to lift its ban on U.S. beef is conditional. It’s expected that Taiwan and the U.S will begin their discussion over the resumption of six year stalled trade talks in October 2012. The resumed discussions will take place under the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement. This news comes after the Taiwanese governments passed amendments to its food and safety act to conditionally allow important on U.S. beef containing ractopamine – a drug that has been previously banned. The drug is administered to livestock to enhance meat tenderness.

The key condition revolving around the ban is restrictions over safe traces of ractopamine levels. Representatives from the U.S. Congress seem optimistic that the two parties will be able to solve the trade dispute and agree upon a full-fledged trade agreement.