A coalition of U.S. dairy groups is urging the Trump administration to reach a trade agreement with Japan quickly.
More than 70 dairy groups and companies sent a letter to Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue this week asking the administration to finalize a strong trade deal with Japan.
The coalition, including the National Milk Producers Federation and U.S. Dairy Export Council, say Japan is an established market with a growing demand for dairy products.
The letter states that a robust trade agreement with Japan “will bring a much-needed boost to the economic health of the U.S. dairy industry.”
The letter says the Japan-EU agreement and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership have allowed the European Union, New Zealand and Australia to position themselves to take sales from the U.S. dairy industry.
U.S. exports generated $270 million in dairy products to Japan in 2018.
Once the trade deals are fully implemented, the U.S. risks losing $5.4 billion in total export sales.
