FORT WORTH, Texas — Robert McKnight, Jr., president of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) issued the following statement in response to the announcement of a bilateral trade agreement with Japan:

“We are elated that today’s announcement of a free trade agreement with Japan includes a reduced tariff on U.S. beef. Japan is the largest buyer of U.S. beef exports and the third-largest buyer of Texas beef despite a 38.5% tariff. Previously, the excessive tariff left U.S. beef producers vulnerable to foreign competitors with lower tariff rates. High tariffs were also costly for Japanese consumers who had to pay substantially more to enjoy U.S. beef.

“We sincerely thank the Trump administration for their diligent work on this issue, especially U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Chief Agricultural Negotiator Gregg Doud. The free trade agreement with Japan is a landmark achievement that will benefit American cattle producers for decades to come.”

###