With the passage of Trade Promotion Authority, talks are expected to get underway this month to wrap up the Trans Pacific Partnership. The deal involves 12 Asian countries and the United States. South Dakota Pork Producers Council President Lester Moeller says that agreement is important not only pork producers but other industries as well.

Moeller says TPP means many more jobs for the pork industry as well as a huge boost in exports.

Moeller is hoping that eventually China will be brought into a deal involving all the other nations involved with the TPP.

Since 1989, U.S. pork exports have increased 1.5 percent in value and 1.2 percent in volume. Last year, the United States shipped more than $6.6 billion worth of pork to foreign markets.