The Blog

Photo of Dan Newhouse Dan Newhouse, Director, Department of Agriculture

03/27/12

With a new free trade agreement with Korea, we have the opportunity to expand our business relationship with one of our most critical trading partners. Korea is Washington’s eighth largest agricultural export market, even before high tariffs on U.S. foods are eliminated or reduced. We’ve got 49 million fans in Korea waiting to sample more of our world-class foods.

Today’s opportunities in Korea are significant. Most U.S. agriculture products will enter Korea duty-free – including our cherries, French fries, wheat and wine. Washington dairy products will also see the door open a little wider with bigger import quotas and lower tariffs.

Increased exports will spur economic development here at home. Washington agriculture exports to Korea currently average $262 million a year. Based on studies by the U.S. International Trade Commission and USDA, we anticipate that our state’s food exports to Korea could nearly double in the coming years. That expanded trade will create new jobs in communities all across the state.

It’s true that progress in other commodities will take more time. The tariff on beef will decline steadily over 15 years and our apples continue to face protectionist, non-tariff barriers that stifle trade. But this bountiful trading relationship with Korea wasn’t built in a day, and we will continue to work to deepen it.

My colleagues across the country also recognize the opportunity before us. Agriculture directors from around the western U.S. are teaming up to visit Korea in April. We’ll meet with buyers to market our goods and work with Korean officials on those remaining barriers to our foods.

We can’t sit by and expect the buyers to come to us. As delicious as they are, our farm products don’t sell themselves. We’ve got to knock on the door and introduce our bountiful harvest. Thankfully, our strongest ally is the Korean consumer who craves our quality foods.