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Agreements will increase jobs, ag trade

U.S. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack echoes President Obama’s contention that passage of the agreements will result in thousands of jobs.

“American agriculture has been a bright light; we’ve shattered trade records and we’ve created jobs,” said Secretary Vilsack, during a conference call Tuesday. “These agreements will help us build on that success and increase income levels and provide more opportunities for businesses and employment opportunities around the country.”

In Tuesday conference call, Secretary Vilsack said the Korea Free Trade Agreement alone could generate $1.9 billion in additional ag trade. That’s on top of $5.3 billion in trade that Korea currently does with the U.S.

“The Korean Free Trade Agreement will have a greater impact on agriculture than the nine previous free trade agreements we’ve entered into,” said Secretary Vilsack, “so it’s a really big opportunity for us.”

There are many that think the final roadblock to approving the agreements was passage of Trade Adjustment Assistance, which provides for workers adversely affected by trade agreements. In an August interview with Brownfield prior to Trade Adjustment Assistance passage, the President expressed his willingness to see the free trade agreements approved.

“We’re ready to get this done, and I’ve put more time and effort into negotiating these free trade agreements than just about anybody,” said President Obama, during an interview with Brownfield in August. “We’re ready to get them done, but there’s going to need to be a commonsense approach in Congress and that’s what I expect will happen.”

The President told Brownfield during that August interview that the free trade agreements would be dealt with in October.

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