Max Baucus appears to be standing up for cattle producers though.
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, Democrat of Montana, wasted no time blasting the South Korea free-trade agreement, which U.S. and South Korean negotiators sealed early Monday. Of particular offense to Sen. Baucus, and probably other farm-state lawmakers, is the failure of the U.S. team to include a provision guaranteeing U.S. beef imports. South Korea banned U.S. beef imports in 2003 amid concern over mad cow diseases, and has continued to restrict U.S. beef imports
“This is an entirely unacceptable outcome,” Sen. Baucus said in a statement. “I will oppose the Korea Free Trade Agreement, and in fact I will not allow it to move through the Senate, unless and until Korea completely lifts its ban on U.S. beef. I have made it clear — to the administration and to the Korean government — from the start of these talks that there can be no trade agreement without full access to the Korean market for all of Montana’s beef exports, boneless and bone-in, and regardless of age.”
Under the agreement reached in Seoul, Korea’s 40% tariff on beef will phase out over 15 years.
Do you think Max is a little worried about his re-election chances here in Montana or is he just feeling his oats as a man with a lot of power?
I guess I will look at the bright side of this and hope Maxxie holds his position here for us cattle producers. I would love to see the South Korean market opened up.
National markets are held together by shared values and confidence in certain minimum standards. But in the new global market, people do not yet have that confidence. Kofi Annan
