President Donald Trump signed a trade deal with Japan at the White House on Monday that will affect Montana farmers and ranchers.

One of the guests of Montana Senator Steve Daines who joined the President on the dais was Miles City rancher Fred Wacker, President of the Montana Stockgrowers Association.

“Today is an historic day for Montana agriculture,” said Senator Daines. “This trade agreement will help level the playing field for Montana ranchers and farmers in Japan’s critical export market. It was an honor to have helped to lead this fight in the U.S. Senate on behalf of Montana’s rural communities, and I was thrilled to join the President today at the White House as he signed this critical deal. Today, President Trump delivered on his promise that he would fight for fair trade agreements, and Montana Ag is going to be strengthened because of it.”

The President spoke about the impact of the trade deal.

“Under the terms of the agreement today, Japan has committed to dramatically increase market access to American food and agricultural exports,” said President Trump. “It’s a very dramatic number. It’s one of the larger trade deals ever signed. As a result 126 million Japanese consumers will have access to high quality American almonds, blueberries, corn, wine, poultry and egg products, along with beef, pork, wheat and so much more.”

Trump said the benefits to American and particularly Montana agriculture will be profound.

“Our farmers, ranchers and growers will now be able to compete fairly against major competitors worldwide,” he said. “In addition to these agricultural agreements, there’s that extraordinary digital agreement that we’re signing. That digital agreement is a very big deal in its own right. It sets standards on the $40 billion in digital trade between the United States and Japan, and speaking of the internet, that was a big case we just won on net neutrality.”

 

 

 

 

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