Perdue: Japan Remains Vital For American Producers

When it comes to trade priorities for the USDA right now, it’s a deal with China, followed by ratifying the USMCA.  After that, comes a bilateral trade deal with Japan.  During a recent Senate hearing, Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue stressed the importance of trade with Japan.  And without a trade deal with Japan, it gets even more challenging for American farmers.

“The threat is real; obviously, TPP will begin to be implemented this spring.  And Ambassador Lighthizer and I have had several conversations about the disadvantage that puts our American producers and exporters, regarding Japan.”

Japan, a nearly $2 billion market for U.S. beef, now threatened.  Thanks to TPP, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Mexico all enjoy tariff reductions.  Which Perdue said makes it even more important for Lighthizer to strike a deal with Japan.

“The goal being, certainly, to be equivalent or plus-TPP provisions in agriculture, that would put us in even stead with any other nation in the world.”

And Perdue noted he is taking steps, himself by traveling to Japan in late spring, for the G-20 Agricultural Ministerial.

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