One area in the Trump tariff regime not being talked about enough is agriculture. Specifically, Ireland and the EU restrict US agri imports on safety grounds. Irish consumers (we are told by farming organisations, but I think correctly) don’t want to eat chlorine-washed chicken or US beef that is subject to artificial growth hormones.
So how do you negotiate on that? I’d be interested in reader’s views: Should Ireland drop food safety standards here in return for “fairer trade” with the United States?
I don’t mean it as a loaded question either: Europe undoubtedly uses “food safety standards” as a kind of soft protectionism from cheaper third world beef – it’s one of the reasons we lock Brazil for example out of our markets.
J.