Five meat and poultry organizations thanked President Barack Obama for the administration’s efforts in the ongoing Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations. A letter expressing the groups’ appreciation was sent to Obama and was signed by the American Meat Institute, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, National Chicken Council, North American Meat Association, and the USA Poultry & Egg Export Council.
The letter, delivered late April 16, stated: “The undersigned organizations, representing United States meat and poultry producers and processors, applaud the strong stance your Administration has taken in negotiations with Japan on access to that nation’s market for U.S. meat and poultry exports. We appreciate that, in the latest round of talks in Tokyo on a Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement, your representatives did not capitulate to Japan’s continuing attempts to maintain protectionist barriers to our products.
“As you are well aware, the ramifications of giving in to Japan’s desires to protect their agricultural products go well beyond our sector. A bad precedent with Japan could lead to future TPP-acceding nations such as China demanding massive exemptions from tariff elimination in industrial and high-tech products. This would be a damaging outcome for a wide swath of our nation’s commerce, agricultural and otherwise.
“Thank you again for your strong stance in the ongoing TPP effort. We look forward to a positive outcome in your negotiations that we can enthusiastically support in the Congressional ratification process that will follow.”
