The United States will not reach a trade agreement with the European Union if agriculture is not included in the agreement, a senior US Department of Agriculture official told reporters on Thursday, June 27.

Ted McKinney, U.S. Under Secretary of Agriculture for Trade and Foreign Affairs, said he repeatedly emphasized mutual understanding between the two sides during meetings with lawmakers, government officials, and the private industry in Brussels, Rome, and Geneva, however, the issue of agriculture has become stumbling block in the negotiations.

Europe, a leading US trade partner, has proposed negotiations with the US to abolish import duties on manufactured goods, but these negotiations have not really begun, as both sides argue about the issue of access to markets for agriculture.

Washington argues that agriculture should be part of the negotiations, but the European Union has not included agriculture in its negotiation agenda.

“I don’t think that we will reach an agreement if agriculture is not included,” McKinney told reporters during a teleconference during his visit to Brussels, citing concerns expressed by US lawmakers and Trump.