Source: USDA, 2/26/15

In conjunction with a series of Made in Rural America Executive Actions announced today by President Obama and the White House, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released data today showing the opportunities for agriculture of the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) to help boost agricultural exports across the 50 United States.

North Carolina’s agricultural exports reached an estimated $3.7 billion in 2013*, up from $2.7 billion in 2009. North Carolina’s exports help boost farm prices and income, while supporting about 28,200 jobs both on the farm and in related industries such as food processing, transportation, and manufacturing.   

North Carolina’s top five agricultural exports in 2013 were:  1. Pork – $739 million  2. Broiler meat – $699 million 3. Cotton – $328 million 4. Soybeans – $312 million 5. Wheat – $240 million  

Nationwide, U.S. food and agricultural exports reached a record $150 billion in 2014, supporting more than one million American jobs. Global demand for these products is growing but so is competition among suppliers.  

Trans-Pacific Partnership

The Asia-Pacific region includes some of the world’s most robust economies. The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) with Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam is an opportunity to advance U.S. economic interests in a critical region that accounts for 40 percent of the world economy, and to respond to the regional and bilateral trade agreements being negotiated by our competitors. A high-standard TPP agreement that opens markets will support expansion of U.S. agricultural exports, increase farm income, generate more rural economic activity, and promote job growth.  

Agricultural Benefits from the TPP In countries where the United States has free trade agreements, exports of U.S. food and agricultural products have grown significantly. Recent examples include our pacts with Chile, Colombia, Panama, South Korea, and CAFTA-DR (five Central American countries and the Dominican Republic), where trade agreements have boosted U.S. exports. The TPP promises similar benefits.  

• Pork: U.S. exports of pork to Japan face high tariffs and a complicated import system. Under the agreement, tariffs across the TPP region will be cut and the import system simplified, offering new market access opportunities to U.S. pork producers and exporters. In 2014 the United States exported nearly $5 billion of pork and pork products to the TPP region.   
• Poultry: U.S. exports of poultry to the TPP countries face tariffs as high as 240 percent. Under the agreement, tariffs across the TPP region will be cut, offering new market access opportunities to U.S. poultry producers and exporters. In 2014 the United States exported almost $3 billion of poultry and poultry products to the TPP region.

To read the full report, click here.