WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts, R-Kan., Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, is pleased with today’s announcement by U.S. Trade Ambassador Robert Lighthizer that the Chinese market is once again open to U.S. poultry exports.
“For the first time since 2015, U.S. poultry producers will have access to the growing Chinese market,” said Roberts. “I thank Ambassador Lighthizer and Secretary Perdue for keeping the pressure on China and continuing efforts to establish and grow markets for U.S. agricultural products around the world.”
The Chinese market has been closed to U.S. poultry exports since 2015 when an outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza occurred. The U.S. Department of Agriculture projects chicken exports to China will grow by 68 percent, amounting to $1 billion annually.
In a Senate Agriculture Committee hearing on September 25, turkey grower Ron Kardel stressed the importance of opening up critical international markets, specifically China. Click here to watch the hearing and read testimonies.
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