The United States Senate Committee on Finance approved unanimously by voice vote language that would put pressure on South Africa to remove unfair limits on American chicken imports. The bipartisan amendment, sponsored by Senator Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) and cosponsored by Senators Tom Carper (D-Del.) and Mark Warner (D-Va.), would require the president conduct an out-of-cycle review of South Africa within 30 days of enactment of African Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA), a trade agreement between the United States and sub-Saharan African countries.
"I want to thank Senator Isakson for spearheading this issue in the Finance Committee, along with Senators Carper and Warner for their support," said National Chicken Council President Mike Brown. "Together with Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), who helped craft the amendment, this issue of huge importance to U.S. chicken producers has been kept on the front burner in Congress."