Statement by Trade Ministers of the United States, Canada and Mexico

(Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada)

Canadian Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, Stockwell Day, United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk, and Mexican Secretary of the Economy Gerardo Ruiz Mateos today issued the following statement calling for an end to unscientific bans on pork imports from their respective countries due to the fears of the H1N1 flu virus, noting the large and negative economic impact of such bans. More than a dozen countries worldwide have sought to ban pork imports from H1N1-affected nations:

“We would like to express our concern for the victims of the current outbreak of H1N1 human influenza. Our governments remain committed to doing everything possible to bring the outbreak under control.”

“We are also concerned that some trading partners are imposing restrictions on trade in swine, pork and other meat products from North America that are without scientific justification and inconsistent with their international obligations. These unjustified restrictions will likely result in serious trade disruptions without cause and result in significant economic damage.”

“On May 2, the World Health Organization [WHO], the World Organization for Animal Health [OIE], the Food and Agriculture Organization [FAO] and the World Trade Organization issued a statement saying that ‘there is no evidence that the virus is transmitted by food. There is currently therefore no justification in the OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Standards Code for the imposition of trade measures on the importation of pigs or their products.’ They stressed that ‘pork and pork products, handled in accordance with good hygienic practices recommended by the WHO, FAO, Codex Alimentarius Commission and the OIE, will not be a source of infection.’”

“In view of the above, we urge our trading partners to remove these restrictions on our products immediately. We will continue to follow this situation closely, and will take any steps to prevent the enforcement of unjustified measures against our exports, as appropriate.”

U.S. Working on Border Plan, Despite Swine Flu Concerns

(Sean McNally — Transport Topics)

The Obama administration is continuing to work on a plan to restart cross-border trucking between the United States and Mexico, even as the two countries battle the spread of “swine flu.”

Some U.S. trucking operations doing significant business in Mexico said last week that their businesses had not yet been affected by the influenza outbreak, and that Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said the administration was dealing separately with the flu and the cross-border trucking issue.

“At this point, there is no relationship, there’s no connection,” Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood told reporters April 29. “The truck program is different than the swine flu problem.”

Since Mexico announced nearly $2.4 billion in tariffs on U.S. products after the U.S. shut down deliveries by Mexican trucks, the administration has been working to resolve the trade dispute by putting together a revamped cross-border trucking program. Read more here.

Ham-Fisted Bans No Way to Respond to Flu: Day

(Kathleen Harris — Ottawa Sun)

International Trade Minister Stockwell Day is urging countries around the world to act on “sound science,” not fear, as a growing list of worried nations seal their borders to Canadian hogs and pork products.

China joined at least nine other countries yesterday that have barred or restricted imports of Canadian pigs and meat, a day after federal officials confirmed that swine flu had passed from an Alberta farmhand to a herd of hogs.

Pork producers are worried negative perceptions and trade bans could cripple an already struggling industry.

Day said he is pleased U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack confirmed the Alberta incident will not change American trade policies on Canadian pork, and stressed there is “no justification” for bans since the virus is not food-borne.

“Some countries have imposed a ban on North American pork and swine products without scientifically justifiable evidence to support their actions,” he said. “We urge these countries to base their decisions on sound science.”

Canadian missions abroad are working with trade partners and importers to highlight the safety of Canadian pork and swine products. In countries where an import ban has been imposed or is under consideration, officials are speaking to key agencies and officials to help them make an “informed decision.”

Jurgen Preugschas, chair of the Canadian Pork Council, said import restrictions vary by country, with some limiting just meat and others barring both live swine and pork. China's ban applies to Alberta specifically. Read more here.

Related: Pork industry in panic as pigs catch the flu (Globe & Mail).

DHS Secretary Napolitano, HHS Secretary Sebelius on CBS’s ‘Face the Nation’

(CBS News Online)



Bob Schieffer spoke the CDC's Richard Besser, Health & Human Services Sec. Kathleen Sebelius and Homeland Security Sec. Janet Napolitano with about the likelihood of a swine flu pandemic.

U.S. Resists Border Measures for Swine Flu, Wants Import Bans Lifted

(World Trade Interactive)

More countries have imposed import restrictions this week due to concerns about the spread of the H1N1 strain of influenza. U.S. officials, however, have decried such moves and said they have no intention of imposing border measures of their own at this point.

According to press reports, a growing number of countries have taken steps to restrict pork imports to date. Russia has banned imports of various pork products from a handful of U.S. states as well as Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Nicaragua, Panama and El Salvador. China is prohibiting pork imports from Mexico and at least three U.S. states. The United Arab Emirates and Suriname have banned all pork imports, while Thailand, Indonesia, Ukraine and Honduras have blocked some or all pork from the U.S. specifically. Restrictions have also been imposed by Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan.

U.S. officials, however, have said such measures are unnecessary and may violated global trade rules. U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack pointed out that what has been called “swine flu” is in fact a virus that affects humans and has not been detected in pigs. Read more here.

Swine Flu: Lessons from SARS

(Business Week – Pete Engardio)

The SARS outbreak showed how quickly industry can get slammed. But fears of widespread trade devastation are probably overblown

Narayanan Viswanathan knows firsthand not to underestimate the economic impact of a potential pandemic such as the swine flu outbreak that has been spreading from Mexico. Viswanathan was in Taiwan as manager of a software development project for carmaker China Motor in spring 2003 when word first spread that an outbreak of a deadly, unknown virus dubbed severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) was striking victims in East Asia.

It took just three weeks for much of Asia’s economy to simply shut down. Airlines canceled 40% of their flights in and out of cities like Taipei, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore, and Shanghai. Major conferences were called off. Luxury hotels and shopping malls were empty. And the legendary Canton Trade Fair in Guangzhou that April was a complete bust. Viswanathan, who was engaged to be married, flew back to India on China Airlines along with other Indian technicians working on the job, which they finished from Bangalore. Read more here.

Swine Flu: Lessons from SARS

(Business Week – Pete Engardio)

The SARS outbreak showed how quickly industry can get slammed. But fears of widespread trade devastation are probably overblown

Narayanan Viswanathan knows firsthand not to underestimate the economic impact of a potential pandemic such as the swine flu outbreak that has been spreading from Mexico. Viswanathan was in Taiwan as manager of a software development project for carmaker China Motor in spring 2003 when word first spread that an outbreak of a deadly, unknown virus dubbed severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) was striking victims in East Asia.

It took just three weeks for much of Asia’s economy to simply shut down. Airlines canceled 40% of their flights in and out of cities like Taipei, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore, and Shanghai. Major conferences were called off. Luxury hotels and shopping malls were empty. And the legendary Canton Trade Fair in Guangzhou that April was a complete bust. Viswanathan, who was engaged to be married, flew back to India on China Airlines along with other Indian technicians working on the job, which they finished from Bangalore. Read more here.