肯塔基人对达成的贸易协议作出反应，以取消英国对波旁威士忌的关税

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – United Kingdom steel and aluminium exports to the United States are now tariff free, thanks to a newly secured resolution between both nations. According to the Department for International Trade, the agreement follows months of talks.

According to the Department for International Trade, the US will allow a certain volume of metals from the UK to be imported duty-free starting June 1. In return, Britain agreed to lift tariffs on more than $500 million worth of products which includes American whiskey.

The Kentucky Distillers’ Association (KDA) and its 50 member companies celebrated the news saying in part, “After a four-year dry spell, it’s time to raise a toast.”

According to the KDA, imposed in 2018, the tariffs reversed what had previously been tremendous growth in Kentucky Bourbon exports to the UK, costing distillers, industry partners and farm families hundreds of millions of dollars.

Bourbon is one of Kentucky’s most historic and treasured industries with a $9 billion annual economic and tourism engine that sustains 22,500 good-paying jobs in the Commonwealth and a $1.23 billion payroll.

According to the KDA, Kentucky distillers also are in the middle of a 10-year, $5.2 billion building spree to meet the growing global thirst for America’s only native spirit. There are now more than 10.3 million barrels of Bourbon aging in Kentucky, a record amount.

KDA President Eric Gregory thanked the Biden Administration saying, “With the suspension of these tariffs, we look forward to rekindling bourbon enthusiasm in the U.K. and helping our legendary distillers further share the finest Bourbon for all the world to enjoy.”

Congressman John Yarmuth, founder and Co-Chair of the Congressional Bourbon Caucus, says he was thrilled to see the agreement.

“From grain to glass, American whiskey helps power our economy here in Louisville and across our Commonwealth, and I was proud to lead the call to end these unfair tariffs and remove our distilled spirits from unrelated trade disputes,” said Yarmuth. “I thank President Biden, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, and United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai for getting this done. Good American jobs depend on it.”

Brown-Forman, one of the largest companies in the spirit and wine business, commended the Biden Administration.

“As a result of the agreement, American whiskey will again enjoy tariff-free trade between the U.S. and the U.K. as of June 1, 2022,” said Lawson Whiting, President and Chief Executive Officer of Brown-Forman Corporation. “Today’s announcement follows the removal of the EU’s tariff on American whiskey on January 1, 2022.”

Whiting added, “The removal of tariffs on American whiskey and other U.S. exports creates more opportunities for the continued international growth of our American-made products.”

肯塔基州列克星敦（WTVQ）——由于两国之间新达成的一项决议，英国对美国的钢铁和铝出口现在是免关税的。据国际贸易部称，该协议是在经过数月的谈判之后达成的。

据国际贸易部称，美国将从 6 月 1 日起允许一定数量的英国金属免税进口。作为回报，英国同意取消对包括美国威士忌在内的价值超过 5 亿美元的产品的关税。

肯塔基州酿酒商协会 (KDA) 及其 50 家成员公司在庆祝这一消息时部分表示：“经过四年的干旱期，是时候举杯了。”

根据 2018 年实施的 KDA，关税扭转了此前肯塔基波旁威士忌对英国出口的巨大增长，使酿酒商、行业合作伙伴和农场家庭损失了数亿美元。

波旁威士忌是肯塔基州历史最悠久、最珍贵的产业之一，每年经济和旅游收入达 90 亿美元，为英联邦提供 22,500 个高薪工作岗位和 12.3 亿美元的工资。

根据 KDA 的说法，肯塔基州的酿酒厂也正处于为期 10 年、耗资 52 亿美元的热潮中，以满足全球对美国唯一本土烈酒日益增长的渴望。现在肯塔基州有超过 1030 万桶波旁威士忌陈酿，创历史新高。

KDA 总裁 Eric Gregory 对拜登政府表示感谢，他说：“随着这些关税的暂停，我们期待重新点燃英国对波本威士忌的热情，并帮助我们的传奇酿酒商进一步分享最好的波本威士忌，供全世界享用。”

国会波旁核心小组的创始人兼联合主席、国会议员约翰·亚尔穆斯说，他很高兴看到这项协议。

“从谷物到玻璃，美国威士忌有助于推动路易斯维尔和整个英联邦的经济，我很自豪能够领导呼吁结束这些不公平的关税并将我们的蒸馏酒从不相关的贸易争端中消除，”Yarmuth 说。“我感谢拜登总统、商务部长吉娜·雷蒙多和美国贸易代表凯瑟琳·戴（Katherine Tai）完成这项工作。美国的好工作有赖于此。”

Brown-Forman 是烈酒和葡萄酒行业最大的公司之一，它赞扬了拜登政府。

Brown-Forman Corporation 总裁兼首席执行官 Lawson Whiting 表示：“根据该协议，美国威士忌将于 2022 年 6 月 1 日再次享受美国和英国之间的免关税贸易。” “今天的公告是在欧盟于 2022 年 1 月 1 日取消对美国威士忌的关税之后发布的。”

Whiting 补充说：“取消对美国威士忌和其他美国出口产品的关税，为我们美国制造的产品在国际上的持续增长创造了更多机会。”