Beef law ‘could do nothing but harm'

Press, 22 August 1978, Page 7

Beef law ‘could do nothing but harm'

PA Wellington. A United States bill which aims to change laws controlling beef imports could do New Zealand nothing but harm, says the chairman of the Meat Board (Mr C. Hilgendorf). The bill— recently endorsed by a United States House of Representatives committee — will cut beef imports when local output is high. Mr Hilgendorf said it would mean New Zealand and Australia were expected to stabilise beef supply on the United States market by filling in when needed. “We would have to take the ups and downs,” he said. He could not tell how much the bill would hurt New Zealand until it reached the fine-print stagb and a base line for beef imports was set. “It’s likely the longer it goes on, the more disadvantageous it will be," he said. The beef market tended to move in five-year cycles and it was now

low. Lnited States output could be expected to rise and as it did so the apparent need for imported beef would become less. Asked what the board was doing to make its view-point known, he said

it was in very close touch with meat importers in the United States. The Minister of Overseas Trade (Mr Taiboys’) has also expressed concern about the bill. “If this bill became law. it would have a verv serious effect on the stability and growth of New Zealand’s trade in beef with the United States — a_trade which accounts for 45 per cent of our total exports of beef,” Mr Talboys said.

It would be regrettable if the United States passed i such a law while it was I taking the initiative to ' break down agricultural i trade barriers in G.A.T.T. i talks.

The Government had i taken the matter up with i Vice-President Mondale | when he visited New Zea- i land and again by letter I with him this month.