§5674 Trade Consultations Concerning Imports

Summary

The Secretary must require talks inside the Department of Agriculture, including with the Administrator of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and other relevant USDA officials, before easing or lifting any rule that limits import of an agricultural commodity into the United States. The Secretary must also consult with the United States Trade Representative before easing or lifting any restriction on importing an agricultural commodity or its products. The Secretary must watch World Trade Organization members for compliance with the sanitary and phytosanitary measures under the Agreement on Agriculture from the Uruguay Round of GATT. If the Secretary thinks a country may have failed those commitments in a way that hurts U.S. agricultural exports, the Secretary must give details to the United States Trade Representative. If the problem keeps hurting exports, the Secretary must report to the Committee on Agriculture and the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives, and to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry and the Committee on Finance of the Senate, saying the country may have failed and listing any notice sent to the United States Trade Representative.