Contact Victoria Broehm
The American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) is encouraged by the White House’s actions this week in signaling its intentions to enter into negotiations with Japan on a comprehensive trade agreement. Japan represents the United States’ third largest export market for animal food, so by eliminating existing barriers and leveling the playing field, a U.S.-Japan trade agreement will allow America’s animal food and ingredient manufacturers greater access into this marketplace.
Gina Tumbarello, AFIA’s director of international policy and trade, stated:
“One of the Trump administration’s first acts was the complete withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, leaving a large void for how the U.S. animal food industry could compete in the Asia-Pacific region. This week’s news that the United States is pursuing an agreement with one of TPP’s former signatories, Japan, is a positive ray of hope in a time when many within the agricultural community, including U.S. animal food and ingredient manufacturers, have seen their opportunities to do business dwindling in the Asia-Pacific region. We encourage the administration to move quickly in its negotiation process so U.S. animal food manufacturers can enjoy expanded opportunities in Japan.”
Last year, the United States exported nearly $880 million worth of feed, feed ingredient and pet food products to Japan, representing roughly 7.7 percent of all its exports in this category. Although most animal feed already enters Japan duty-free, a U.S.-Japan trade agreement would eliminate remaining duties and ideally reduce or remove the barriers that are preventing the United States from exporting value-added products such as meat and dairy products into Japan.