President Barack Obama and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack Tuesday hailed a pending trade deal called the Trans-Pacific Partnership. The deal would span 12 countries in the Asia Pacific region including Canada and Mexico.
Obama said the Trans-Pacific Partnership would eliminate about 18,000 tariffs and taxes on American products in other countries. The agreement covers everything from car parts, to fruit to bacon.
Vilsack said big agricultural winners will be beef, fruit and vegetable growers.
The proposal would also have countries agree to shut town trade only to protect the health of people, livestock and crops -- not to protect trade positions.
Several Northwest agriculture experts said they are waiting to see the final language before they celebrate. Then other countries would have to agree too. And that could take years.
