Details on what U.S.-Japan interim trade deal means for USDEC members

On Monday (October 7), the United States and Japan made public the details of progress made to date in U.S.-Japan trade negotiations. USDEC staff has been working closely with the Administration to advocate for a strong dairy package with Japan that will help restore our competitiveness in that key market and allow us to meet the growing demand for dairy there.

A joint dairy sector letter to the United States Trade Representative and the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture played an important role ensuring the voice of the U.S. dairy industry was heard. Organized by USDEC and NMPF in August, the letter was signed by many USDEC members as part of our efforts to drive home the opportunities that increased access to the Japanese dairy market could unleash for our industry. We also conveyed the costs of failing to keep pace with our competitors.

While more work on dairy remains to fully accomplish the goals outlined in that unified dairy message, we’re pleased that the agreement the Administration has negotiated with Japan so far makes good headway in addressing our goals. If implemented in the next few months as the U.S. seeks to do, the agreement will deliver near-term benefits, outlined below, to dairy exporters while the U.S. keeps working toward a fuller trade agreement with Japan.

Links to the text and a summary by USTR can be found here:

Side Letters’ text on:

Click here for a summary of the agreement’s key dairy elements. (Please note: the above links contain the official details; the information in the link aims to provide an initial summary for members’ benefit. Later this month, a full update will be made to USDEC’s Export Guide for Japan.)


While this is clearly an important step forward for several of our exported products and a sizable improvement upon today’s status quo situation with Japan, the deal does not deliver the full range of access to the Japanese dairy market that we have been seeking.

In light of that, USDEC continues to encourage the Administration to pursue those further pieces as it continues negotiations with Japan aimed at concluding a “comprehensive” agreement. We look forward to continuing to work with you on that endeavor as we work toward maximizing inroads for U.S. dairy into the growing Japanese market. 

Questions on the agreement can be directed to Jaime Castaneda (jcastaneda@usdec.org) or Shawna Morris (smorris@usdec.org).  Members can also access information in the “Hot Topics” section of usdec.org.