CCA: Beef Producers Applaud TPP Agreement
October 05, 2015
From Canadian Cattlemen's Association www.cattle.ca
Calgary, AB – The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) strongly supports the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement reached today in Atlanta. A TPP agreement ensures Canadian beef producers can improve access to Japan and other growing markets in Asia. Under the deal reached today, Canada could double or triple its annual beef exports to Japan to nearly $300 million.
CCA President Dave Solverson called the agreement a game-changer for Canada’s beef industry -- and Canadian agriculture as a whole. “This is really fantastic news for Canada’s beef producers,” he said “Canada’s beef producers have long needed to have equal access to these important markets in order to compete with Australian and U.S. beef. Now, through this agreement, Canada will receive the same preferential access to these markets as its competitors, leveling the playing field for Canadian beef producers once and for all.”
CCA Vice President and Foreign Trade Chairman Dan Darling said it was a major priority for Canadian beef producers to ensure that the TPP would result in a level playing field for all beef competitors in the TPP region. “I am pleased to say we have achieved that. The TPP agreement ensures Canadian beef producers will enjoy significantly improved access to Japan and other growing markets in Asia,” he said.
The TPP is an agreement amongst 12 countries from both sides of the Pacific Ocean. Canada already has duty free access for beef with many of them, including the U.S. and Mexico, and now the TPP will gradually reduce a 38.5 per cent tariff on Canadian beef in Japan down to 9 per cent in 15 years, including an immediate cut to 27.5 per cent on day one of the agreement coming into force that will restore our competitive position with Australian beef.
Solverson and Darling thanked Prime Minister Stephen Harper and International Trade Minister Ed Fast for making a strong effort for Canadian beef producers at the TPP negotiating table. The CCA has provided support to the Minister throughout the Ministerial meetings, including in Atlanta last week, and appreciates his resolve to get a deal following a meeting in Hawaii in July that despite gaining much momentum, ended without an agreement due to the complexities of the negotiations. The CCA also thanks Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Minister Gerry Ritz for his leadership to ensure the TPP is a net positive for Canadian farmers.
Other wins for Canadian beef producers in the TPP include achieving elimination of beef tariffs in Vietnam and Malaysia, two countries that have not traditionally been significant beef consumers, but have been identified as potentially important markets in the future as their level of economic development increases. The TPP also addresses the exclusion of some beef access from previous agreements with Peru and Chile.
The CCA is also very pleased that Canada has secured its place as one of the founding members of the TPP. This is extremely important it gives Canada a say in the terms of entry for additional countries that may want to join the TPP in the future. Already Korea and Taiwan have indicated they wish to join and the CCA will want to ensure they are removing all barriers to Canadian beef as part of their entry requirements to the TPP.