TPP Important for Agriculture

Approval of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement is a multi-billion dollar issue for U.S. agriculture. With 95 percent of the world’s population living outside of the United States, our productive ag sector needs expanding markets. TPP would increase the market opportunities with countries that have an ever increasing middle class who have more expendable income. Washington Cattlemen’s Association Executive Vice President Jack Field says passage of TPP is critical.
Field: “We look at Japan that being the top of the mark for the United States right now and our number one export partner. The other benefit we have with a successful TPP agreement is hopefully having the ability to have a productive negotiation with China. By being a part of TPP, we’d be on the front end of that and with those countries that are all joined in unison going forward. Absent of TTP agreement, I fear that we will be left out alone. Those countries may move forward. Hard to say what they think of the U.S. and our abilities to negotiation agreements into the future. So I think the timing is critical. We need TPP now and we can’t afford to wait.”
According to American Farm Bureau statistics, if TPP were passed it would increase overall farm income by $4.4 billion.