The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) held a public hearing on September 3 to examine Brazil’s trade practices under a Section 301 investigation, with beef trade emerging as a central point of concern.
The hearing, hosted at the U.S. International Trade Commission, addressed issues ranging from tariffs and digital trade to ethanol market access and illegal deforestation. For the U.S. cattle sector, the spotlight remained on Brazil’s handling of beef exports and its delayed reporting of animal health issues, including atypical bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).
In the past five years, Brazil has shipped $4.45 billion worth of beef to the U.S. while limiting access for American beef through technical barriers. Industry leaders argue these practices undermine fair competition and raise questions about food safety standards.
“Brazil has repeatedly waited weeks, months, or even years to report cases of atypical BSE while using the delay to sell more product,” noted Kent Bacus, Executive Director of Government Affairs at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, during the hearing.
The USTR investigation, launched in July, will determine whether Brazil’s actions amount to unreasonable or discriminatory trade practices. A full transcript of the hearing will be published on USTR.gov in the coming weeks.
