A coalition of U.S. dairy groups is urging the Trump administration to reach a trade agreement with Japan quickly. More than 70 dairy groups and companies sent a letter to Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue this week asking the administration to finalize a strong trade deal with Japan quickly. The coalition, including the National Milk Producers Federation and U.S. Dairy Export Council, said Japan is an established market with a growing demand for dairy products.

 

The letter states that a robust trade agreement with Japan "will bring a much-needed boost to the economic health of the U.S. dairy industry." The letter says the Japan-EU agreement and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership have allowed the European Union, New Zealand and Australia to position themselves to take sales from the U.S. dairy industry.

 

The U.S. exported $270 million in dairy products to Japan in 2018. Once the trade deals are fully implemented, the U.S. risks losing $5.4 billion in total export sales.

 

 

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