The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) released The 2011 National Trade Estimate (NTE) Report on Foreign Trade Barriers.  The annual report "identifies significant foreign barriers to U.S. exports of goods and services, foreign direct investment, and protection of intellectual property rights.  The NTE report includes a description of the actions the [Obama] administration has taken to address the export barriers the report describes."  Data is compiled by USTR, the U.S. Departments of Commerce and Agriculture, other U.S. government agencies, private and public trade advisory committees, and the general public.

In addition, two reports were released focusing on sanitary and phytosanitary and technical barriers to trade:  2011 Report on Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Measures and 2011 Report on Technical Barriers to Trade.  These reports address "unwarranted SPS barriers that block U.S. agricultural exports and unwarranted or overly burdensome technical barriers that make it difficult for U.S. manufacturers and workers to sell their products abroad."

USA Rice Federation submitted comments in response to the notice in the Federal Register last October, emphasizing the trade issues for the U.S. rice industry with the EU, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan.