US, Japan reach deal to return to TPP trade terms, potato industry reacts
Japan, the largest importer of U.S. potato products, has reached an agreement with the U.S. to reduce tariffs on U.S. agrilcutlure imports.
Kam Quarles, right, of the National Potato Council chats with Jared Balcom during Potato Expo 2019.
On Aug. 25, the National Potato Council is strongly supporting the announcement at the G7 meeting in Biarritz, France that an agreement has been struck on agricultural trade between the U.S. and Japan.
“This announcement is welcome news for our industry,” said Kam Quarles, CEO of the National Potato Council. “It allows U.S. potato exporters to recapture vital momentum in Japan and level the playing field against foreign competitors.”
“Creating a new agreement with Japan that preserves benefits previously negotiated under the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) has been a key objective of the National Potato Council,” said Jared Balcom, chairman of NPC’s Trade Affairs Committee and a farmer from Pasco, Washington. “We believe today’s announcement indicates that the White House, the Office of the Trade Representative (USTR) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) share that goal and are committed to making it a reality,”
“We sincerely appreciate the dedicated work of (U.S. Trade) Ambassador Lighthizer, Secretary (of Agriculture Sonny) Perdue and the dedicated agricultural professionals supporting them at USTR, the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) and the Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS),” Quarles said.