Not only is the status of sanctions undetermined because there is no new Farm Bill, but the United States hasn’t made any of the monthly installments of the $147 million it agreed to pay Brazil annually since September. The head of the WTO, Roberto Azevedo, has publicly stated that he expects the two countries to reach an agreement that would avert retaliatory steps from Brazil.
However, the South American country’s foreign trade council, Camex, will be holding public consultations in January to determine whether or not to apply sanctions – an announcement that met with approval from Brazil’s National Industry Confederation.