MODESTO, Calif. — The Almond Alliance of California applauds the recently announced trade deal between the United States and Japan. U.S. President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced the agreement Sunday at a meeting at the G7 summit in Biarritz, France. Both President Trump and Prime Minister Abe said they will sign the deal around meetings of the United Nations General Assembly next month.
Almond Alliance Chairman Mike Curry pointed out, “This deal is very important for California almond growers since they rely on access to foreign markets to sell their crops and Japan is a significant destination for California almonds. The Almond Alliance welcomes the latest news.”
U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said the agreement is three-fold, addressing industrial tariffs, agriculture and digital trade. The agreement will also require Japan to open its market to more imports of U.S. agricultural products and will eventually pave the way for an additional $7 billion in ag exports to Japan.
Almonds are one of California’s top three valued commodities and the leading agricultural export. The California almond industry exports 67% of what it produces. With exports of nearly $4.5 billion in 2017, the California almond industry contributes significantly to the longstanding trade surplus generated by American agriculture.
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About the Almond Alliance of California
The Almond Alliance of California (AAC) is a trusted non-profit organization dedicated to advocating on behalf of the California almond community. California almonds are an economic powerhouse, generating more than $21 billion in economic revenue and directly contributing more than $11 billion to the state’s total economy. California’s top agricultural export, almonds create approximately 104,000 jobs statewide, over 97,000 in the Central Valley, which suffers from chronic unemployment. The AAC is dedicated to educating state legislators, policy makers and regulatory officials about the California almond community. As a membership-based organization, our members include almond processors, hullers/shellers, growers and allied businesses. Through workshops, newsletters, conferences, social media and personal meetings, AAC works to raise awareness, knowledge and provide a better understanding about the scope, size, value and sustainability of the California almond community. For more information on the Almond Alliance, visit https://almondalliance.org/ or check out the Almond Alliance on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
–Almond Alliance of California
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