With more than 80 percent of the wheat grown in the Pacific Northwest being exported, it goes without saying that trade is critical for our wheat growers. Japan –the world’s largest buyer of soft white wheat — is attempting to hold on to tariffs for five ag products in the recent Trans Pacific Partnership negotiations.
Immediate Past Oregon Wheat Growers League President Walter Powell shares more about the valuable relationship the Pacific Northwest has with our Japanese trading partners and the importance of Japan eliminating tariffs from ALL products.
Powell: “Many of our rail cars and barges moved through facilities on the Lower Columbia owned by our Japanese partners — a business relationship, a partnership and a friendship spanning generations. Last year U.S. wheat producers welcomed Japan’s entrance into the Trans Pacific Partnership negotiations. The opportunities are significant for all nations involved as when a nation joins into these deliberations it is understood and expected that all nations are accepting of the high standards involved in this agreement. One of those standards is comprehensive tariff elimination. We look forward to a comprehensive agreement that will boost growth throughout Pacific Basin — growth that will provide additional markets for ag producers in all of the nations involved. To this point, removal of all barriers have proven to be difficult for our Japanese friends — particularly in the areas of wheat and other sensitive agricultural products.”