Beef + Lamb New Zealand works to improve access for sheep and beef products to overseas markets.
Market access is critical to farmers’ profitability as over 80 per cent of beef and 90 per cent of sheepmeat is exported.
We provide the government with analysis and advice on regulations and market access objectives for the sheep and beef sector.
We also work alongside other agricultural, meat processing and exporting industry organisations to improve partnerships throughout the supply chain.
World Trade Organisation
Because New Zealand is a relatively small economy it has limited bargaining power in global markets. B+LNZ supports the work of the World Trade Organisation – the only global forum to address international trade barriers such as export subsidies.
WTO trade rounds allow New Zealand to benefit from the negotiating powers of some of the larger economies that share agricultural interests with us.
The most recent round of negotiation, the Doha Development Agenda, aims to reform world agricultural trade by setting lower ceilings for trade-distorting aid payments, eliminating export subsidies and reducing tariffs. This round is currently stalled.
Find out more about trade negotiations on the WTO website
There is also information on New Zealand's relationship with the WTO on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade website
Free trade agreements
Free trade agreements are critical for improving access to key markets for the red meat sector. They have the potential to reduce costs in the supply chain by reducing or eliminating tariffs and non-tariff barriers, such as onerous certification requirements.
We support the government's free trade negotiations by providing the background information and depth of analysis that negotiators need when they deal with agricultural matters.
The latest free trade agreement developments
In 2010 the United States, our largest beef market, began negotiating entry to the Trans Pacific Partnership, offering the prospect of lower tariffs and improved market access across the Asia Pacific region.
Japan is not yet a party to those negotiations but has signalled its interest. In July 2011, B+LNZ Chairman Mike Petersen travelled to Tokyo as part of the delegation at the Japan New Zealand Partnership Forum, working to strengthen the business relationship between the two countries.
The China Free Trade Agreement is delivering annual tariff savings of nearly $25 million a year to New Zealand sheep and beef farmers, and is set to almost double by the time the tariffs are fully eliminated in 2016.
New Zealand's preferential market access
In 2011 we were able to improve New Zealand's access to the Swiss market for beef and to a quota which allows more of our grain-fed high quality beef into Europe.
Previous trade negotiations granted New Zealand country-specific tariff quota access to:
- European Union – sheepmeat, goatmeat and high quality beef
- United States – beef and veal
- Canada – beef and veal
The European Union and United States quotas are administered by the New Zealand Meat Board.
Details of New Zealand's quota allocation systems are on the New Zealand Meat Board website