CLFP Urges Congress to Support the Proposed Trans Pacific Partnership

CLFP recently sent letters to 16 members of the California U.S. congressional delegation in support of the proposed Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement. The TPP will eliminate the import tariffs charged by 11 Asian Rim countries and will also phase out all agricultural export subsidies. Many countries currently hinder imports of U.S. processed food and beverage products by imposing high tariffs or non-tariff barriers. For example, Japan’s current tariff on imported processed fruit products such as California raisins and fruit cocktail is 21.3 percent. Malaysia’s tariffs on processed fruit products is 20 percent, and Vietnam’s tariffs range as high as 40 percent. Other countries competing with the U.S. have been improving their access to many markets through bilateral or multilateral trade agreements, leaving U.S. exporters at a disadvantage. The TPP will help to address this problem.

California League Of Food Producers