Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is on a whirlwind tour of Europe this week with the goal of expanding trans-Atlantic agricultural trade. “The EU is the world’s largest importer of food and agricultural products,” said Vilsack in a statement. “But despite the continued growth of this market, U.S. market share is shrinking because U.S. producers and exporters continue to face numerous trade barriers.” Vilsack is to meet EU Agriculture Commissioner Dacian Ciolos and agriculture ministers of the 28 EU member nations today.
EU environment ministers agreed last week to a compromise on genetically engineered crops, says Reuters. Under it, the European Commission would continue to decide whether to approve genetically engineered crops but individual countries could ask the EC for a ban the GE varieties within their borders. The proposal needs approval by the European Parliament. EU opposition to GE crops is a major farm-trade dispute with the United States, where GE crops are common.