NPPC Lauds Administration On Bolstering Ties With Japan
| WASHINGTON, D.C., Sept. 26, 2018 – The National Pork Producers Council strongly praised the Trump administration, following today’s announcement by the White House that the United States and Japan soon will begin trade talks. The Asian nation is the U.S. pork industry’s No. 1 value market, importing in 2017 more than $1.6 billion of U.S. pork.
“This is fantastic news for America’s pork producers,” said NPPC President Jim Heimerl, a pork producer from Johnstown, Ohio. “Japan has been our top export market for years, so it’s good that the administration wants to solidify the relationship with that important economic and geopolitical ally. “This is very positive for the U.S. pork industry, and it comes at a time when pork producers were having concerns about losing market share in Japan.” That’s because the U.S. pork industry’s biggest competitor, the European Union, recently concluded negotiations on a free trade agreement with Japan. That deal is set to become effective early next year. Additionally, the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP minus the United States) is expected to be finalized in early 2019. “We look forward to working with the Trump trade team on bolstering ties with one of our most important trading partners,” Heimerl said. # # # NPPC is the global voice for the U.S. pork industry, protecting the livelihoods of America’s 60,000 pork producers, who abide by ethical principles in caring for their animals, in protecting the environment and public health and in providing safe, wholesome, nutritious pork products to consumers worldwide. For more information, visit www.nppc.org. |