ITC investigates Brazilian ag exports

ITC investigates Brazilian ag exports    The U.S. International Trade Commission has started an investigation into the global competitiveness of Brazilian agricultural exports and its impact on U.S. agricultural exporters in third-country markets.
   The investigation, 'Brazil’s Agricultural Trade: Competitive Conditions and Effects on U.S. Exports in Selected Third Country Markets,' was requested by the Senate Finance Committee.
   “Brazil’s global exports of agricultural products have grown substantially over the last decade, largely in beef, pork, poultry, soybeans, and corn all products exported in significant quantities by the United States,' the committee wrote in an April 26 letter to the ITC. 'This growth has altered the competitive landscape in global agricultural markets and resulted in declining market shares for U.S. agricultural exporters in certain countries and products.”
   The ITC, an independent, nonpartisan, fact-finding federal agency, will cover in its report the period 2006-2010 and focus on the global meat, grains and oilseeds markets. The agency plans to submit its report to the Senate Finance Committee by March 26, 2012.
   Meanwhile, the ITC will hold a public hearing related to the investigation at its Washington headquarters on July 20. For more details, access the ITC Web site.