Commerce Secretary Says Dairy Farmers Could Benefit From Latest Trade Pact

Wisconsin dairy farmers would see taxes on their products drop by as much as 40 percent under the new Trans Pacific Partnership trade deal.

Officials with the U.S. Commerce Department said Wisconsin sold more than $23 billion worth of products — much of it dairy — to overseas customers last year. But Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker said those exports, specifically cheese shipments to Japan, face taxes of up to 40 percent. In rallying support for the 11-nation Trans Pacific Partnership, Pritzker said the TPP will eliminate 18,000 tariffs on U.S. products.

“That agreement will create opportunities for more Wisconsin companies to build on their export success and sell more made in America products into some of the fastest growing markets in the world,” she said.

The Wisconsin Farm Bureau is generally supportive of the TPP while the Wisconsin Farmers Union said the deal doesn’t protect against overseas currency manipulation.