<Nov_Dec2011>

PRESS RELEASES

November & December 2011

Coalition Urges Japan's Inclusion In TPP Talks
NPPC wants Japan in TPP trade talks

Coalition Urges Japan's Inclusion In TPP Talks

To read a copy of the letter: http://nppc.org/uploadedfiles/JapanTPPAgLetter.pdf

Washington, Dec. 5, 2011 - A coalition of food and agricultural organizations today urged the Obama administration to work with Japan to smooth the way for that country's participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a multilateral trade agreement.

Japan recently announced its intention to join the TPP negotiations, which currently include Australia, Brunei, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States and Vietnam.

In a letter sent to U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk, the coalition said including Japan in the trade talks would generate enormous interest and support in U.S. agriculture.

"It would also spur even broader interest among other Asia-Pacific countries, which could lead to the type of Asia-Pacific regional arrangement envisioned by the administration when you embarked on these talks last year," said the coalition.

Japan's economy is second only to China's in the region, and it is the fourth largest agricultural export market for the United States despite the fact that it maintains substantial import barriers. Even with the barriers, U.S. exports to Japan in 2010 were nearly $12 billion.

The coalition warned that Japan likely would enter free trade talks with the European Union in 2012 and with other countries if its TPP bid is rejected.

"The opportunity to include Japan in the TPP negotiations must be seized," said the coalition. "It is an opportunity that may not present itself again."

to top

NPPC wants Japan in TPP tardetalks

Washington, November 11, 2011 - The National Pork Producers Council today welcomed Japan's announcement that it would like to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) multi-lateral trade talks.

The TPP would be a regional trade bloc, consisting of Australia, Brunei, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States and Vietnam.

"The U.S. pork industry strongly supports Japan's entry into the TPP, and NPPC urges the United States and the other TPP countries to accede to Japan's request," said NPPC President Doug Wolf, a pork producer from Lancaster, Wis. "Pork producers would gain tremendous market opportunities with Japan as part of the TPP.

Japan already has free trade agreements with six of the nine TPP countries: Brunei, Chile, Malaysia, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam.

Japan is the No. 1 market for the U.S. pork industry, which in 2010 exported $1.65 billion of pork to the Asian nation and which in the first nine months of this year has shipped $1.44 billion.

"Japan is our top market, but that market can be expanded through the TPP," Wolf said. "And expanding existing markets and opening new ones are vital to the continued profitability of U.S. pork producers."

The U.S. pork industry last year exported nearly $4.8 billion of pork, an amount that added about $56 to the price producers received for each hog marketed.

to top