Thursday, April 18, 2013

Poultry, agriculture industries welcome Japan into trade talks


    The United States approved Japan's entry into negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership, offering signs of optimism for expanded U.S. poultry and agriculture exports.
    Acting U.S. Trade Representative Demetrios Marantis said in a statement that the U.S. and Japan have agreed on actions toward the trade talks, but Japan's admission into the Trans-Pacific Trade negotiations still require the approval of the other 10 nations involved in the talks.
    "The U.S. chicken industry supports Japan's official participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership process and looks forward to negotiations continuing to move forward on a timely path to achieve an agreement that will bode well for expanded U.S. chicken exports to Japan and other Trans-Pacific Partnership countries," said National Chicken Council President Mike Brown.
    As a major U.S. trading partner, Japan would bolster the reach of the Trans-Pacific Partnership for U.S. agriculture, said Bob Stallman, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation.
     "As the fourth-largest U.S. agricultural export market, with nearly $14 billion in purchases in 2012, trade with Japan is important to America's farmers and ranchers. Both the United States and Japan will benefit from Japan being a Trans-Pacific Partnersip partner, and by sharing in improved sanitary and phytosanitary standards for agricultural trade and expanded market access with Trans-Pacific Partnership nations," said Stallman. "The recent decision by Japan to increase access for U.S. beef shows that Japan can act to improve market access for U.S. agricultural products  based on sound science.  A comprehensive TPP agreement that includes Japan will strengthen trade relationships, address remaining barriers and improve the competitiveness of the Asia/Pacific market."
    If Japan's entry into the trade partnership is accepted by the other ten nations, it would likely be able to take part in the next round of negotiations in July.

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