One of the major holdups to reaching a successful conclusion to the Trans Pacific Partnership trade deal is being discussed this week. U.S. and Japanese negotiators are meeting in Washington D.C. The U.S. wants Japan to bring their ag tariffs to zero. Japan however hasn’t agreed to that. National Cattlemen Beef Association’s Vice President of Government Affairs Colin Woodall says it’s encouraging talks are being held but Japan needs to come to the table.
One possible compromise that’s been mentioned by the Japanese is that they’d go to zero tariffs over 20 years. Woodall says phasing in the tariff level isn’t unreasonable but 20 years is a bit long.
Woodall says 20 years is a long time considering the deal reached with South Korea on that FTA was 15 years. He says however if tariffs would eventually go to zero it something his group is willing to see put on the table for discussion.
