Kansas Corn Statement on U.S-Japan Trade Agreement

The U.S.-Japan agreement announced today by President Trump solidifies our partnership with Japan, and offers opportunities for growth, according to Kansas Corn leaders. Japan is a leading customer for U.S. corn and U.S beef, and holds potential as a market for U.S. ethanol. The agreement  would bring U.S. agricultural commodities largely back in line with the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) and put these commodities on equal footing with other countries currently in the TPP.  This is the first of several rounds of agreements and Kansas Corn encourages the administration to pursue broader access to foreign trade opportunities.

“Japan is the second largest export buyer of U.S. corn and the top export buyer of U.S. beef and a promising future market for ethanol and that’s why the U.S.-Japan agreement is important to us. Last year, Kansas exported $725 million worth of agricultural product to Japan,” said Dennis McNinch, who chairs the Kansas Corn Commission.  McNinch is also incoming chair of the U.S. Grains Council’s Trade Policy Advisory Team. “Foreign market development for corn and corn products like red meat is a top priority of the commission, and building trade is one of the best ways to build needed demand for our product. This agreement will help with export sales not only for our corn, but also corn-fed beef.”

The Kansas Corn Commission invests corn checkoff dollars in market development efforts of the U.S. Grains Council and U.S. Meat Export Federation who work in Japan and countries around the world to build export markets for U.S. corn and corn products.