During the recent Congressional recess, Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley has been holding town meetings across the state. He says the top agricultural concern he’s hearing about is the need for trade agreements.

He says with the United States no longer involved in the Trans Pacific Partnership or TPP, it’s essential the U.S. move forward with a bilateral trade deal with Japan. And there’s a real urgency now that Japan is taking the lead on a TPP agreement and moving forward without the U.S.

Grassley is hoping that a final bilateral pact with Japan includes the same market access the U.S. would have gained with in the TPP deal.

Tokyo aims to hold a TPP Minister’s Meeting in Vietnam in late May.