The Biden administration has all but ruled out tariff-slashing market access deals when it comes to its proposed Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, but the U.S. ag sector still hopes the agreement will include a trade pillar that boosts exports to rapidly growing markets that are home to a patchwork of regulatory restrictions and non-tariff trade barriers... Vietnam’s trade barriers are particularly vexing for the U.S. grain sector, according to IPEF comments submitted by both the U.S. Wheat Associates and the U.S. Grains Council.
“Vietnam continues to consider bans on common agricultural pesticides without conducting appropriate risk assessments as well as restrictions on Canadian thistle seeds, common grain insects and ergot,” which is a fungal disease, USW says. “Trade is currently occurring through aggressive cleaning of U.S. wheat supplies, but U.S. exporters continue to face the threat of potential re-export in the event of Canadian thistle seed detections at destination.”