By Amanda Brodhagen, Farms.com
A coalition of agriculture associations in the United States are unhappy with the way that the Obama administration has been handling the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations. In particular, concerns have been raised about the U.S. allowing Japan to keep its tariffs on certain agricultural products, including dairy, sugar, rice, beef, pork, wheat and barley.
In a release produced by the National Pork Producers (NPPC), agriculture groups urge President Obama to conclude TPP talks and leave Japan out of the deal, unless it agrees to eliminate its gate price system and tariffs on agricultural products.
Farm groups are worried that if the U.S. gives Japan special treatment that it will set a bad precedent, making way for other countries to request similar treatment. Ultimately, the stalled talks with Japan could jeopardize the entire trade agreement.
The TPP includes the United States, Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. According to NPPC, the combined countries account for almost 40 per cent of the global GDP.