World Trade Organization

The World Trade Organization (WTO) is an independent international organization headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, that sets and maintains the rules of global trade. Representatives from 164 member countries use the WTO framework to negotiate trade agreements, adjudicate trade disputes, and review national trade policies. By having a standard set of consistent and enforceable ground rules, international trade can prosper without facing barriers such as excessive tariffs, unfair regulations, and other obstacles. Countries participating in this freer global trade environment help expand the world economy and increase their own citizens’ level of prosperity.

FAS actively represents the interests of U.S. agriculture  in the WTO committees on Agriculture, Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Issues, and Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT)

Data and Analysis

Since USDA first established a stand-alone mission area focusing on trade and international affairs in 2017, USDA’s Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs and the Foreign Agricultural Service, have made significant trade policy advances to support U.S. agriculture. This series of commodity fact sheets highlights the many recent trade policy advances achieved by USDA.
On July 11, 2024, China notified draft Food Labeling Supervision and Management Measures to the World Trade Organization (WTO) under G/TBT/N/CHN/1401/Add.2. China’s TBT Enquiry Point at tbt@customs.gov.cn will accept comments until September 9, 2024...
On July 11, 2024, China notified draft National Food Safety Standard Milk Protein to the World Trade Organization (WTO) under G/SPS/N/CHN/1303. China’s SPS Enquiry Point at sps@customs.gov.cn will accept comments until September 9, 2024. This report...

News and Features

Stakeholder Notice

Vietnam Lowers Tariffs on Corn, Wheat, Pork

The government of Vietnam has published a decree revising its most-favored nation tariff rates for corn, wheat and frozen pork.
Beginning July 23, all eyes will be on Japan as it hosts the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games. For me, this summer’s Olympics is the perfect blend of things that I’m passionate about – there’s cycling, there’s an international governing body...
Contact: press@oc.usda.gov Washington, D.C., November 14, 2019 – U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue welcome Brazil’s implementation of an annual duty-free tariff rate quota (TRQ) of 750,000...