A coalition of agricultural organizations are urging the administration to complete the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement without Japan unless Japan agrees to provide significant market access for U.S. agriculture. 

In the latest TPP negotiations, reports indicated that Japan’s position continues to be that it will not abolish tariffs for dairy, sugar, rice, beef, pork, wheat, and barley.  The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) said, “A country can’t shield its primary agricultural products from competition and still claim to be committed to a high-standard agreement that liberalizes essentially all goods.” 

The USA Rice Federation said, “In fact the TPP envisioned by Japan, if it stands, would be the least comprehensive agreement the U.S. has negotiated since the 21^st century began.” 

Japan is requesting that 586 tariff lines be exempt.  In the 17 free trade agreements the U.S. has concluded since 2000, only 233 tariff lines combined have been exempted from having tariff elimination. 

The coalition includes NPPCl, the International Dairy Foods Association, National Association of Wheat Growers, USA Rice Federation, and U.S. Wheat Association.   The TPP negotiations includes 12 countries (U.S., Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam) that represent 40 percent of the world’s gross national product.