Salem, Ore., TPP and TPA have caused quite a stir lately.
TPP stands for Trans-Pacific Partnership and TPA stands for Trade Promotion Authority. Will Wise, CEO of the Oregon Beef Council, said, “The Trans-Pacific Partnership will deal with some extremely high tariffs facing Oregon beef exports.” Currently, Oregon beef with a destination of Japan faces a 38.5 percent tariff.
“If we could eliminate this tariff barrier through TPP, we would substantially increase our exports to Japan, which would increase the bottom line for every Oregon beef producer,” Wise said. Japan is just one example of what TPP and TPA could open up for Oregon producers.
Oregon Farm Bureau’s Director of National Affairs, Gail Greenman, sees that the two bills could benefit not only Oregon ranching, but Oregon agriculture in general. “Oregon produces the best agricultural commodities in the world. Oregon exports 80 percent of the agricultural products it produces and half of that goes outside the United States, the majority of it to Asia and countries in TPP,” She said.
While TPP will open up a whole new world of global trade, it needs TPA to pass in order to be efficiently implemented. It is important that those involved in Oregon agriculture understand the basics of the bills and support them.
Wise notes, “TPA is probably the only way that TPP can be implemented to help our farmers and ranchers. Fast Track, (TPA), should be supported by all Oregon producers if they want to see this trade agreement realized and their profits thereby increased.”
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