Officials try to soothe tensions with China

Washington, D.C. ­ — Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and United States Trade
Representative Ron Kirk today commended conferees on the agriculture
appropriations bill ­ led by Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), chair of the
Agriculture Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee, on text
slated for the FY 2010 agriculture appropriations conference report
regarding the use of appropriated funds by USDA with respect to potential
imports of poultry products from China. The conference agreement would allow
USDA to use appropriated funds in FY 2010 to promulgate or implement a rule
allowing imports of processed poultry or poultry products from China only
after the Secretary of Agriculture notifies Congress that certain conditions
have been met. (For a full description, visit the House Appropriations
website here
.)

USDA worked with Rep. DeLauro to craft the final language, which ensures the
protection of the nation’s food supply in a manner consistent with
scientific principles as required under U.S. international obligations.
This result reflects the hard work and commitment of the Administration,
Rep. De Lauro, Senator Mark Pryor (D-AR), and all House and Senate
conferees.

“We commend the conferees for reaching an agreement that protects food
safety and public health in a manner consistent with our international
obligations,” said Secretary Vilsack. “The agreement reached by the
conferees will maintain the safety of our food supply and ensure that
America takes a leadership role in supporting a science and rules-based
trading system.”

“We are pleased that the conferees were able to reach agreement on language
that provides a strong means to address food safety concerns while
recognizing the need to base health measures on scientific principles,” said
Ambassador Kirk. “The conferees have acted in Americans’ best interests in
two ways: by insisting on the safety of our food supply, and also by
maintaining America’s leadership in the rules-based global trading system.”

Under U.S. law, poultry and poultry products may not be imported from any
foreign country unless USDA determines that the food safety standards,
facilities, and conditions of that country achieve a level of sanitary
protection equivalent to that achieved by U.S. standards. If USDA
determines that a country achieves this level of protection for some or all
poultry products, it issues a rule permitting import of such products,
subject to border inspection and other requirements.