U.S. lamb moves ‘sign of times’

Press, 10 January 1987, Page 3

U.S. lamb moves ‘sign of times’

PA Wellington United States moves to cut lamb imports was a sign of the growing forces of protectionism taking place, not only there but in other parts of the world, said the Meat Board chairman, Mr Adam Begg, yesterday. New Zealand should be concerned as the United States was a potentially large sheepmeat market and that growing protectionism was a sign of the times, he said. United States lawmakers are preparing to resurrect a bill that would cut lamb imports by about 25 per cent. Producers have claimed that New Zealand, which has cornered about 85 per cent of the SUSSO million annual American lamb imports, unfairly subsidises lamb production. Mr Begg said bills like this had been coming forward off and on over the years, but this had a greater chance of succeeding because of

moves towards protectionism. If the bill were introduced it would restrict lamb imports to a country the board felt should be taking more rather than less. Lamb consumption had halved over the last 10 years so increased marketing opportunities were clearly there, he said. The board’s representative in the United States, Mr Ed Farrell, had taken action. “We don’t think they (the U.S. industry) have a good case,” Mr Farrell said. “But what concerns me is that trade is a very, very hot issue.” In the present environment Congress could decide to hit back against lamb imports, he said. Democratic leaders in Congress had vowed to pass a sweeping trade bill this year as part of a strategy to reverse the persistent United States trade imbalance.