Secretary Naig Says U.S.-Japan Trade Deal Creates New Opportunities for Iowa Farmers

DES MOINES, Iowa (Sept. 25, 2019) — Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig was in New York City today as President Trump signed a trade deal with Japan’s Prime Minister Abe. Secretary Naig, along with other agricultural leaders, participated in a signing ceremony recognizing the bi-lateral trade agreement.

“Japan is one of Iowa’s most important trading partners,” said Secretary Naig. “Today’s agreement is a win for agriculture and welcome news as our farmers gear up for harvest. By lowering tariffs on agricultural products, Iowa producers can be more competitive in the Japanese market. This deal helps build the momentum we need to ratify USMCA and reach a long-term trade agreement with China. Thank you, President Trump, for getting this trade agreement done.”

Secretary Naig remains focused on expanding markets and trade for Iowa agriculture. He will be joining Iowa Governor Reynolds on a trade mission to Japan in November. Details on the trade mission can be found here.

Export Statistics

Beef

Iowa exported $135 million of beef to Japan in 2018.
Japan is the largest export market for Iowa beef producers.
U.S. producers sold $2 billion of beef to Japan in 2018, one-fourth of total U.S. beef exports.
The U.S. exported 330,217 metric tons of beef to Japan in 2018.
U.S. beef sales to Japan could increase by 7-10 percent ($200 million a year).

Pork

Iowa exported almost $370 million of pork to Japan in 2018.
Japan was the largest export market by value for Iowa pork producers in 2018.
U.S. producers sold $1.6 billion of pork to Japan in 2018.
The U.S. exported 394,300 metric tons of pork to Japan in 2018.

Corn

Iowa exported $491 million of corn to Japan in 2018.
Japan was the second largest export market (behind Mexico) for Iowa corn growers in 2018.
Japan purchased 11.5 million metric tons of corn from the U.S. in 2018.
Japan purchased $2 billion of corn from the U.S. in 2018.

Soybeans

Iowa exported $122 million of soybeans to Japan in 2018.
The U.S. exported $947 million of soybeans to Japan in 2018.