Agribusiness Update for Tuesday 4/16/13

This is the Agribusiness Update...I’m Greg Martin...

The Obama Administration last week agreed to accept Japan into the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade negotiations. Of the 11 TPP countries - Japan already has free trade agreements with seven of them. Japan’s economy is second to China’s in the region and the fourth largest U.S. agricultural export market overall.

EPA Administrator Nominee Gina McCarthy said during her Senate confirmation hearing last week the EPA has bridges to build with the agriculture community - and she wants the opportunity to change that relationship. She suggests the agency is already trying to undo some damage done between the agency and rural America during the past four-years.

The Agriculture Workforce Coalition said in a Friday release that the coalition, the United Farm Workers and key U.S. senators agreed on a framework agreement that will now be translated to legislative language. No specific details were given.

That’s today’s Agribusiness Update from the Ag Information Network.