ITC Launches Investigation into Brazil’s Agriculture Exports
The International Trade Commission has launched an investigation into the global competitiveness of Brazilian agricultural exports and its impact on U.S. agricultural exporters in third country markets.
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Investigation Requested by Senate Finance Committee
This investigation was requested by the Senate Finance Committee. In its letter requesting the investigation, received on April 26, 2011, the Committee stated: "Brazil's global exports of agricultural products have grown substantially over the last decade, largely in beef, pork, poultry, soybeans, and corn all products exported in significant quantities by the United States.
This growth has altered the competitive landscape in global agricultural markets and resulted in declining market shares for U.S. agricultural exporters in certain countries and products."
Report to Cover 2006-2010, Focus on Meat, Grain, Oilseed Markets
As requested, the ITC will cover in its report the period 2006-2010 and will focus on the global meat, grains, and oilseeds markets. To the extent possible, the ITC will provide:
- an overview of agricultural markets in Brazil, including recent trends in production, consumption, and trade;
- an overview of U.S. and Brazilian participation in global export markets for meat, grain, and oilseed products, particularly in the European Union, Russia, China, and Japan, and markets with which Brazil has negotiated trade agreements;
- a description of the competitive factors affecting the agricultural sector in Brazil, in such areas as costs of production, transportation and marketing infrastructure, technology, exchange rates, domestic support, and government programs related to agricultural markets;
- a description of the growth of Brazilian multinational agribusiness firms and their effects on global food supply chains;
- a description of the principal trade measures affecting U.S. and Brazilian exports of meat, grain, and oilseed products in major third-country export markets, including sanitary and phytosanitary measures and technical barriers to trade; and
- a quantitative analysis of the economic effects of preferential tariffs negotiated under Brazil's free trade agreements on U.S. and Brazilian exports of meat, grain, and oilseed products, as well as the economic effects of selected non-tariff measures on U.S. and Brazilian exports of meat, grain, and oilseed products in major third-country export markets.
ITC Report Expected by March 2012, Hearing to be Held on July 20
The ITC expects to submit its report to the Committee by March 26, 2012. The ITC will hold a public hearing in connection with the investigation on July 20, 2011. Requests to appear at the hearing should be filed no later than 5:15 p.m. on June 24, 2011.
The ITC also welcomes written submissions for the record. Written submissions should be submitted no later than 5:15 p.m. on October 6, 2011. All written submissions, except for confidential business information, will be available for public inspection.