Senators cite pork trade issues in Russia's WTO application
Twenty-six senators led by Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, and Ben Nelson, D-Neb., have written U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk to urge him not to support Russia’s application to join the World Trade Organization until it address barriers to U.S. pork products.
The letter said the issues are Russia’s unilateral lowering of the amount of U.S. pork it allows to be imported, cutting the previously agreed-upon amount by about half, and Russia’s use of sanitary restrictions to limit U.S. pork exports to Russia.
The senators noted that the United States was able to obtain commitments from China and Vietnam to overcome similar obstacles as part of those countries’ accession to the World Trade Organization.
* [Letter to U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk](http://grassley.senate.gov/about/upload/110616-Letter-to-Ambassador-Kirk.pdf)
The letter said the issues are Russia’s unilateral lowering of the amount of U.S. pork it allows to be imported, cutting the previously agreed-upon amount by about half, and Russia’s use of sanitary restrictions to limit U.S. pork exports to Russia.
The senators noted that the United States was able to obtain commitments from China and Vietnam to overcome similar obstacles as part of those countries’ accession to the World Trade Organization.
* [Letter to U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk](http://grassley.senate.gov/about/upload/110616-Letter-to-Ambassador-Kirk.pdf)
