The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations have successfully concluded in Atlanta and many believe it will benefit all sectors of the U.S. economy by boosting U.S. exports and eliminating trade barriers.

“While the full details of the partnership will not be released until the President presents it to Congress, cattle producers are assured this is a true 21st century agreement,” said National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) President and cattleman, Philip Ellis. “The TPP will immediately reduce tariffs and level the playing field for U.S. beef exports to these growing markets. TPP is a major win not only for the beef industry, but for all U.S. export products, growing the economy while supporting jobs and investments in agriculture and technology.”

Beef exports currently add over $350 to each head of cattle sold in the U.S. With the completion of this work, NCBA looks forward to increased demand and growth for beef exports across the Pacific Rim. Through the partnership process with these 11 other nations, beef producers were able to secure the best deal possible to address tariff and non-tariff trade barriers to beef exports, surpassing individual country arrangements.

“National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) played an active role throughout the five-plus years of negotiations,” said association President Dr. Ron Prestage, “providing U.S. negotiators with key information on barriers we face in the 11 other TPP countries and offering guidance on outcomes that would ensure substantial new market access benefits for U.S. pork in those markets.”

Iowa State University economist Dermot Hayes, who said a final TPP agreement could be “the most important commercial opportunity ever for U.S. pork producers,” estimated that a good outcome for pork in the trade pact could increase U.S. pork exports over time exponentially and help create more than 10,000 U.S. jobs tied to those exports. Last year, the U.S. pork industry shipped about $4.5 billion of products to the 11 TPP nations.

The National Milk Producers Federation and the U.S. Dairy Export Council thank the U.S. negotiators for their work. Both organizations have been providing input and guidance to negotiators throughout the duration of the regional trade pact.

As expected, details of the agreement were not immediately available. NMPF and USDEC will carefully review the agreement’s dairy provisions in the coming days. The organizations expressed deep appreciation to the numerous members of Congress who have conveyed the importance of a successful dairy market access outcome during the years of negotiation, but in particular, during the closing negotiations this week.