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U.S.
Senator Member of the Agriculture, Energy and Veterans Affairs
Committees |
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For Immediate
Release March 14, 2005 |
CONTACT: Cody Wertz – Press Secretary 202-228-3630 Jen Clanahan – Deputy Press Secretary 303-455-7600 |
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| SENATOR SALAZAR
EXPANDS AMERICAN BEEF EXPORT PUSH WITH LETTERS TO U.S AMBASSADORS WASHINGTON, DC -- United States Senator Ken Salazar announced today that he had sent letters Friday to the American Ambassadors of the top three American beef importing countries – Mexico, South Korea and Japan – requesting information on what specific steps they have taken and tools they are developing to promote American beef in the countries where they are stationed. Salazar wants to review these steps in an effort to get other Ambassadors to move more aggressively to promote American beef and to determine whether to consider legislative improvements in our foreign policy agencies. “Our ambassadors are stationed abroad to promote American interests in those countries,” said Salazar. “I appreciate what they do for our national security, but also want to make sure they are promoting American exports, including beef, as aggressively as they can and that they have the tools to open new markets for our farmers and ranchers.” Senator Salazar’s letters came on the heels of a Friday meeting the Japanese Ambassador to the United States The Honorable Ryozo Kato. In the meeting, Salazar pressed Ambassador Kato to reopen Japan’s market to American beef imports immediately. Salazar later said of the Friday meeting, “I will judge the success of this meeting on exactly one standard: Will Japan open its market? We must do everything we can to fight for the U.S. beef industry and protect rural livelihoods. I will also seek out ways to encourage the Japanese government to allow the free trade of American beef.”
Mr. Michael W. Michalak The Honorable Antonio O.
Garza, Jr. The Honorable Christopher
R. Hill
First off, please permit me the opportunity to thank you for everything you and your personnel do for our country. In our battle against terrorism, I recognize that our Foreign Service officers are doing tremendous work everyday – often times at risk to themselves and under hardship for their families – and we are a stronger country for your collective efforts. Secondly, I want to raise with you an issue of critical importance to the farmers and ranchers of my state, namely market access for American agricultural products in general and American beef in particular. Having recently arrived in Washington, I am disappointed to learn that our federal government has not been more successful in promoting new markets for our beef, so much so that only four countries – including the one to which you are our country’s ranking representative – account for 90% of our beef exports. Later this year, the Senate
will consider re-authorization of the Foreign Assistance Authorization
Act and the State Department Authorization Act. In the context of that
eventual debate, I am now beginning the process of deciding whether
the Senate ought to strengthen Sec. 207(c) of the Foreign Service Act
of 1980 (22 USC 3927(c)), which provides that – “Each chief of mission
to a foreign country shall have as a principal duty the promotion of
United States goods and services for export to such country." In particular, I would appreciate having your feedback and the benefit of your guidance on the following questions: 1) What steps have you taken to promote and increase American agricultural commodities exports, including beef, to the country in which you are currently serving? 2) What diplomatic tools have been most successful in helping promote agricultural exports, including beef exports? I recognize that you face
many serious challenges in these difficult times, but I also want to
underscore my hope that you are making American exports, including beef,
a priority matter. I thank you in advance for your responses to this
matter. Sincerely, Ken Salazar # # # |
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