Senators Want Less N.Z. Meat

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30389, 13 March 1964, Page 15

Senators Want Less N.Z. Meat

( N .Z.P. A.-Reuter—Copyright) WASHINGTON, March 11. Three United States Senators today urged their colleagues on the Senate Finance Committee to approve legislation restricting the import of beef, veal, mutton and lamb into the United States.

The Senate majority leader, Mr Mike Mansfield, from the cattle state of Montana, said in his testimony that while beef prices have been dropping, particularly in the last six months, imports of beef, veal, mutton, and lamb had reached all-time heights. He said that “there is a very definite relationship between the price and increased imports.” Mr Mansfield said that the voluntary agreement announced recently with Aus-

tralia, New Zealand, and Ireland did little to relieve the situation. “This agreement,” he said, “merely guarantees the importers a future market at levels higher than at any time in history.” Mr Mansfield proposed the meat import restrictions as an amendment to a tariff bill already passed by the House of Representatives and now before the Senate Finance Committee. At least six more senators were expected to testify at further hearings tomorrow. In addition, members of the committee have expressed their desire to hear testimony from the Departments of State, Treasury and Agriculture and the Tariff Commission as well as spokesmen from the cattle industry. Senator Mansfield told the committee his amendment would mean that in 1964 foreign suppliers would be able to export to the United States 867,400.0001 b of beef, veal, mutton and lamb. 33 Per Cent Reduction This would give the importers about 6.9 per cent of the domestic market, or a 33 per cent reduction in imports.’ compared with 1963, when the total reached 1,204,800,0001 b. “I believe that every major importer of beef has some form of protective device for its domestic industry,” said' Senator Mansfield. “I think it is reasonable to ask the same for our livestock industry.” The committee chairman. Senator Harry Byrd, told Senator Mansfield that he agreed with him “as to the seriousness of the situation you present.” Senator Lee Metcalf, also a Democrat from Montana, echoed his majority leader’s views

Senator Roman Hruska (Republican, Nebraska), the third witness, said that imports of fresh, chilled and frozen beef and veal under the Australia-New Zealand agreements formula would be 923.4 million lb. Under the Mansfield proposal the imports would be 670.9 million lb, he noted, while under an amendment he proposed, imports would be limited to 413.8 million lb. Mr Hruska said his figures were based on product weight while Mr Mansfield’s were based on carcase weight. In calling for quotas based on 1960 levels of imports, rather than on the 1958-62 level as proposed in his defeated amendment to the farm bill last week, Senator Hruska said current imports amounted to 11 per cent of United States production. “We can cope with about 5 per cent.” he said.