CONTACT: Sarah Little (443) 440-0029 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 10, 2020

WASHINGTON, DC - The Meat Institute supports President-elect Joe Biden's decision to nominate Katherine Tai as U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), which was confirmed by numerous sources familiar with Biden's transition team.

Tai, who would become the first Asian American to hold the role of USTR, speaks fluent mandarin and has past experience as a China enforcement head with the USTR. Her expertise could be crucial to resolving trade disputes with China and ensuring the country upholds its commitments in the Phase One Agreement. Tai also impressed lawmakers with her handling of negotiations in Congress for the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.

"Tai has distinguished herself as a skilled negotiator and the Meat Institute stands ready to work with her on trade priorities impacting the U.S. meat and poultry industry," Meat Institute President and CEO Julie Anna Potts said.

Tai's career at USTR began in 2007 as an associate general counsel. In 2014, she was named chief counsel for China trade enforcement, overseeing disputes between Washington and Beijing at the World Trade Organization. She left that role in 2014 to join House Ways and Means and in 2017 was named chief trade lawyer for Chair Richard Neal (D-MA).

Tai will be instrumental in deciding whether or not to lift hundreds of billions of dollars worth of tariffs on China and allies in the European Union. She'll also decide whether to continue trade talks with the U.K. and Kenya, which were started by President Trump's USTR, Robert Lighthizer.

###

About the Meat Institute: The North American Meat Institute is the leading voice for the meat and poultry industry. The Meat Institute's members process the vast majority of U.S. beef, pork, lamb, and poultry, as well as manufacture the equipment and ingredients needed to produce the safest and highest quality meat and poultry products.