U.S. And EU Dicker Over Terms
As Hormone Ban Deadline Nears

WASHINGTON — United States trade representatives are still negotiating with the European Union as the deadline draws near for the EU to open its markets to U.S. beef.

The World Trade Organization has given the EU until May 13 to drop its decade-old ban on U.S. beef produced with growth hormones, having found the ban scientifically indefensible.

U.S. Department of Agriculture officials say negotiators on both sides are still working on what to do about getting U.S. beef into the European market.

U.S. officials have suggested allowing U.S. beef in but labeling it, but Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman says there is still no agreement on what the labels should say.

"We have talked about ourselves putting some label on that would basically say, 'Product of the United States' so people would know that it might be product grown under conditions suitable here," Glickman says. "But I think there are some in Europe, if it's going to be labeled, who would like to have it with a skull and crossbones, saying 'This is poison,' and let consumers do whatever they want with that.

"We, of course, think that's most inappropriate. It's not accurate at all."

USDA officials say negotiations will likely continue.

"We're going to continue to have discussions with them along these points," Glickman says.

Chuck Lambert, chief economist with the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, testified at a hearing by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative this month that justice delayed is justice denied.

"Our patience is gone," Lambert said. "The U.S. beef industry has been unfairly shut out of the European market for more than a decade."

The hearing was to finalize the list of EU products targeted for retaliatory tariffs by the U.S. government if the EU fails to comply with the WTO order to open its borders to U.S. beef.

The EU, meanwhile, has elected not to appeal the WTO ruling against its banana import policies.

On April 19, the WTO approved a $191 million sanction on goods from the EU to make up for the U.S. loss of banana trade.

This could set a precedent for retaliation in the beef case, suggests Richard McDonald, president of the Texas Cattle Feeders Association.