Richard Dawkins: Federated Farmers Meat and Wool Chair on the expected US investigation into lamb imports

Federated Farmers says New Zealand's sheep meat exports to the US are a win-win for both countries.  

Trade Minister Todd McClay has revealed he expects the US Government to announce a trade investigation into our lamb imports in the coming weeks, as a means to impose more tariffs. 

New Zealand exported more than $600 million of sheep meat to the US last year. 

Federated Farmers Meat and Wool Chair Richard Dawkins told Ryan Bridge our exports compliment the US production season. 

He says it allows the American consumer to get a taste for lamb, which benefits the American producers as well. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Todd McLay reckins. In the next couple of weeks, Trump

(00:02):
will come for our lamb exports and the Aussies too,
looks like they're going to launch an investigation. He's spoken
to us about this before into whether they threatened local
producers our exports. By the way, Lamb to the US
with six hundred million last year. Richard Dawkins fed farmers
Meat and woelchair with me. Richard, Good morning, Richard, you're there.

Speaker 2 (00:24):
Yeah, good morning, good morning.

Speaker 1 (00:26):
Very well, thank you. The timing of this obviously coming
off the back of the failed the court ruling on
the tariffs, and we're still paying a tariff on what
we're exporting. But how significant is our export to the US.
How damaging would it be if they threaten it.

Speaker 2 (00:43):
Look, the US is a significant trading partner, especially for
sheep meat, but overall last year they took thirteen percent
of our total exports, so an important relationship that companies
like Silversans farms. Look, day exports are around sixty countries,
so the industry does have the ability to pivot. This

(01:03):
need be.

Speaker 1 (01:04):
It's the local producers that are pushing this, isn't it
the Republicans there were thirty six Republican members of Congress
signed led US to Trump officials they wanted this probe.
They also have introduced a bill proposing a thirty percent
tariff on all lamb and sheep products imported from New
Zealand and Australia.

Speaker 2 (01:23):
Yeah, that's right, and I can gather the American sheep
industry have certainly been pushing for it as well, which yeah,
is very protectionists. It is a wee bit frustrating Ryan
and that we produce high quality product and it's quite
complementary to their production season. It really enhances their market
and it allows the American consumer to get a taste

(01:44):
for lamb, which has beneficial flow on effects for the
American producers as well.

Speaker 1 (01:50):
I've had a look at the part of the section
of law Section two one and two or two of
the US Trade Act. Basically they can impose tariffs if
this investigation finds that it is causing or threatening to
cause injury to their domestic industry.

Speaker 2 (02:06):
Yeah, so you would hope the findings of that would
show the actual complementary nature of this trade. But I
would just say for sheep farmers on the ground in
New Zealand, I mean we can't control this. We have
to focus on what we can control, and the industry
is in a really good space at the moment, strong
returns across the board, a pretty favorable climate as well,

(02:27):
so we'll focus on that and like I said, we
can pivot to other markets if required, but I don't
think it would get to that point.

Speaker 1 (02:35):
All right, Good to know. Richard Dawkins, Fed Farmers Meet
and Wildshair Good Tavy on the show this morning. For
more from Early Edition with Ryan Bridge, listen live to
News Talks it' be from five am weekdays, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.