NCBA Wants Trade Deal With Japan Done ASAP

While there are still details to get worked out, farm country continues to praise the Trump Administration for the bilateral trade deal announced between the U.S. and Japan.  Kent Bacus, Director of Trade and Market Access for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, said like any other trade deal “the devil is in the details,” but he’s still excited about the announcement.  He added this agreement in principle allows negotiators from both countries to work over the next few weeks to get a deal ironed out by late September.

 “Hopefully around the time of the U.N General Assembly meeting.  And I think that is certainly sending a strong message to our producers, it’s sending a strong message to the rest of the world, that the U.S. is open for business, and that we are good trade partners, and that we want to see expanded access for U.S. beef and other commodities all over the world.”

Bacus said Japan is the biggest export market for American beef, meaning this holds a lot of potential.  He added the agreement should put American exporters on a level playing field with competitors in the Japanese marketplace.

“I think when the Administration finally roles out those details I think it’s something we will all be happy about.  Simply because we cannot afford to stay at status quo.  We’re sitting at a 38.5% tariff in our leading export market.  All of our competitors from the TPP countries, from the EU as well, everyone that has these trade agreements with the Japanese they have a significant tariffs rate advantage over us.”

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