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No progress made on ractopamine during TIFA talks

No progress has been made on Taiwan’s zero-tolerance policy for the presence of ractopamine in imported pork.  The United States and Taiwan met last week for the latest round of negotiations under the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement.

Taiwan’s zero-tolerance policy violates the World Trade Organization rules which requires measurements be based on scientific evidence and can only be applied to the extent necessary to protect human and animal health.  In 2007 Taiwan notified the WTO it was tentatively establishing a maximum residue level for the feed additive based on studies from the UN’s international food safety standard-setting body.  The country later withdrew the notification after increased pressure from its pork producers.

The Taiwanese President has indicated her country will consider standards applied by other nations – including Japan and South Korea – which accept pork from hogs fed ractopamine.

US exports to Taiwan declined from 31,500 metric tons in 2005 to nearly 19,000 metric tons last year.  Iowa State University economist Dermot Hayes says the Taiwanese ban could cost US pork producers up to 150-million-dollars annually.