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Doud expresses concerns about trade with Japan

USDA Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Ted McKinney is leading a trade mission to Japan this week. He’s accompanied by numerous U.S. business and state government leaders seeking to expand export opportunities for U.S. food and agricultural products.

Speaking last week at World Pork Expo, chief ag trade negotiator Gregg Doud said he’s very concerned about the trade situation with Japan.

“In terms of meat trade, that’s our number one market. It’s a huge market for us in agriculture,” Doud said. “But come next year, the Europeans have a deal with Japan.  Canada and Australia havea deal with Japan. And, all of a sudden—next year—tariffs for those countries versus the United States are going to go like this (lower). And that’s a problem.”

Doud, who has been in his position since March, said he wants to be more aggressive on agricultural trade.

“In agriculture, we play offense on trade,” he said. “We’ve got to continue to push to move forward on these issues. We’ve got to begin to negotiate with other countries on getting new deals.”

Doud said the U.S. is in negotiations with several countries but offered no timeline as to when any new deals might be completed.

AUDIO: Excerpt from Gregg Doud’s speech at World Pork Expo