With Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to meet President Trump on Friday, the two largest U.S. livestock groups suggested the president “initiate free-trade agreement negotiations with nations in the Asia-Pacific region beginning with Japan.” Separately, 87 farm and trade groups and agribusinesses wrote Trump in support of expanded access to Asia-Pacific markets, the region involved in the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
Trump ordered U.S. withdrawal from TPP in his first days in office. The White House declared a new era in U.S. trade policy that emphasizes bilateral agreements.
Japan is the biggest market for U.S. beef and pork exports, buying $3.1 billion of the meats in fiscal 2016, said the National Pork Producers Council and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. TPP would have lowered Japanese tariffs on U.S. meat.
Writing under the letterhead of U.S. Food and Agriculture Dialogue for Trade, the agribusiness groups said, “Reducing and eliminating tariffs and other restrictive agricultural policies in this region will help American workers in our sector compete, creating an opportunity to supply Asian markets with high-quality food and agricultural goods.” The letter said U.S. action is needed as a counterweight “to the Asia-only regional trade agreements being negotiated by our foreign competitors.”
To read the coalition letter, click here.
To read the NPPC and NCBA letter, click here.