Trans-Pacific Partnership could expand ag trade
Washington Ag Today February 26, 2010 U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk told the USDA’s recent Outlook Forum that a potential new trade agreement could be a significant step in increasing U.S. ag exports. The so called Trans-Pacific Partnership. Kirk: “We are just in the very early beginning stages of those negotiations. We‘ve begun our consultations.” Ambassador Kirk says the significance of such an agreement is the potential expansion of exports into the so called BRIC market; Brazil, Russia, India and China. Kirk: “Economists tell us that the largest growth area, in terms of the world‘s GDP in the next 15 to 25 years, will be in an area broadly defined as the Asia-Pacific and including the BRIC countries. They estimate they will account for almost 60% of the world’s growth.” Ambassador Kirk says one advantage this potential agreement would have over currently pending free trade agreements is the ability to start from scratch. Kirk: “With this one we can say okay, if we were starting from scratch and you said you wanted a high level, fair minded agreement, what would y you want in it?” As for those U.S. signed pending trade agreements with Colombia, South Korea and Panama, which must still clear Congress, the Trade Representative said his office is working to resolve outstanding issues in an effort to move them forward at the appropriate time. Many agricultural organizations think the time to move forward is long overdue. The FTA with Columbia was signed in 2006 and the agreements with South Korea and Panama were signed in 2007. I’m Bob Hoff and that’s Washington Ag Today on the Northwest Ag Information Network. ? ? ? ? ? ?
