The following statement may be attributed to Iowa Farm Bureau Federation President Craig Hill:

“The United States and Japan announced they reached an agreement on a trade deal that further opens agricultural markets for both countries and is welcome news for Iowa farmers. The agreement levels the playing field so U.S. farmers can compete in Japan facing the same level of agricultural tariffs on U.S. goods as Japan places on Trans-Pacific-Partnership (TPP) countries and the EU.

Japan’s global ag imports are growing, and Japan’s consumers are hungry for U.S. meat and agricultural products.  This deal is a major win for Iowa’s pork and cattle producers as Japan represents the largest value importer of U.S beef and pork, and the second largest value importer of U.S. corn. 

Maintaining a level playing field with other countries is vital to expanding our agricultural trade with Japan, and this trade agreement ensures that the U.S. will not be left behind or face a disadvantage.  In a time of turbulent agricultural trade and low commodity prices, this agreement is a welcome sign of foreign market stability. 

We look forward to this deal being finalized by the Japanese Parliament this fall and hope to see the deal go into effect next spring.”