WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), co-chair of the bipartisan Senate Chicken Caucus and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement Wednesday on the decision by U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman to request the World Trade Organization (WTO) establish a dispute settlement panel to examine Indonesia’s wide-ranging import restrictions on fruits and vegetables (such as apples, grapes, and potatoes), animal products (such as beef and poultry), and other agricultural products.

“The economic health of America’s agricultural sector is directly tied to its access to foreign markets,” Senator Coons said. “That makes it critical that the United States fight the unfair protectionist policies of some of the world’s biggest markets. Indonesia is the fourth largest country in the world, and its ban on the import of U.S. poultry is both unwarranted and — it seems — illegal. If Indonesia wants the trade protections afforded by the WTO, it needs to itself live up to the standards enforced by the WTO. Ambassador Froman is continuing what has been an aggressive and appreciated effort by the Obama Administration to level the playing field for American farmers, and protect the jobs they support.”

Delaware’s poultry industry supports more than 14,000 jobs and contributes more than $4.6 billion to the state’s economy, according to the National Chicken Council.

In October, the WTO sided with the United States with a ruling that India had illegally blocked imports of U.S. poultry based on unfounded claims about avian influenza. Senator Coons praised the ruling, noting India’s baseless claims were being used to justify its ban on U.S. poultry and were hurting Delaware chicken-growers.

Senator Coons is actively working with Senator Isakson to get South Africa to drop its illegal anti-dumping duties on U.S. poultry, warning that if South Africa’s duties are not dropped before the Senate considers the reauthorization of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) this spring, they will work to prevent South Africa from continuing to enjoy the significant trade benefits afforded by the law.

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