WAWG on TPP Pt 2
I'm Bob Larson. It's been a year since the U.S. pulled out of the Trans Pacific Partnership and the Washington Association of Wheat Growers has had enough. They want back in!
President Marci Green says the remaining TPP countries have a huge edge in our most important export market...
GREEN ... "What it essentially means is it would reduce the tariffs for our competitors that are in the agreement, namely Canada and Australia. And, our tariffs would remain the same and we would be at a severe price disadvantage."
But, she says the door back into the pact might not be closed ...
GREEN ... "Our grain commission and our U.S. wheat associates have been in Asia in the last month and the message they received from Japan specifically was that they are not interested in doing bilateral agreements. They want to see the U.S. get back into TPP."
Green says rejoining would be good news for all producers ...
GREEN ... "We're just trying to put this back into the forefront and get the word out that we need to have trade with those Pacific Rim countries and it's highly important to our industry. And, it's not even just wheat. It's all of Washington state agriculture trade, whether it's apples or potatoes or whatever."
Green says they're calling on President Trump to do what's necessary to re-enter the TPP and protect U.S. agriculture.
