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US officials to press EU on agriculture

US officials have ratcheted up pressure on the European Union to address longstanding agricultural issues between the two regions, the latest effort to get the EU to include farm products in trade talks.

EU negotiators have said they do not want to include agriculture in the bilateral discussions, one of a series of negotiations the United States has kicked off.

US negotiators are also seeking a new trade deal with Japan and are this week meeting with Chinese negotiators in Washington.

Speaking to attendees of a US Department of Agriculture annual forum, trade negotiator Gregg Doud said it was "high time" for the EU to "get with the program" on issues like biotechnology and genetically engineered ingredients.

"Their politicians, you ask them a question, and they say, 'Well, maybe I need to check with Greenpeace before I answer'," Doud said.

The US has said the EU's lengthy process for biotechnology approvals slows down innovation and curtails US access to the European market.

USDA Undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Ted McKinney said that regulations in the EU are ripe for a change.

US farmers have been hit hard by changing trade policy under Donald Trump.

The administration's use of tariffs to bring countries to the table on trade discussions has prompted retaliation on US products, especially agricultural ones. Chinese tariffs on products including soybeans, sorghum and ethanol have cut off demand in one of the top market for many US agricultural crops.