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New USDA Fact Sheets illustrate state-by-state benefits of TPP

12 October 2015

Created by the USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), the fact sheets graphically depict how each state and individual commodities stand to benefit from increased agricultural trade with the eleven other TPP countries.

Trade ministers from Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States and Vietnam concluded TPP negotiations on 5 October in Atlanta, GA. Trade with these countries accounted for 42 percent of US agricultural exports in 2014, contributing $63 billion to the US economy.

"Increased demand for American agricultural products and expanded agricultural exports as a result of the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement will support stronger commodity prices and increase farm income. Increased exports will support more good paying export-related jobs, further strengthening the rural economy," Agriculture Secretary, Tom Vilsack, said. "All of this activity benefits rural communities and keeps American agriculture on the cutting edge of global commerce. The TPP agreement will contribute to the future strength of American agriculture and helps to ensure that the historic agricultural trade gains achieved under President Obama since 2009 will continue."

The United States runs an agricultural trade surplus, which benefits farmers, ranchers, and all those who live, work and raise families in rural America. Agricultural trade supports more than one million American jobs. TPP is designed to remove unfair trade barriers and help further the global expansion of American agricultural exports, particularly exports of meat, poultry, dairy, fruits, vegetables, grains, oilseeds, cotton and processed products.

The information released illustrates benefits for key commodities and all fifty states. Learn more about TPP and its benefits to the agricultural economy at: http://www.fas.usda.gov/tpp.

The USDA gave a snapshot of how the TPP would boost exports of some US food and agricultural products:

Fruit

Japan, Malaysia, and Vietnam will eliminate tariffs on all fresh and processed fruits, including citrus.

Vegetables

Malaysia and Vietnam will immediately eliminate all tariffs, and Japan nearly all tariffs, on fresh and processed vegetables. All three countries will eliminate tariffs on potatoes and potato products.

Rice

Japan, which excluded rice from its prior trade agreements, will establish a new, duty-free quota for U.S. rice. Malaysia and Vietnam will eliminate tariffs.