While global trade officials remain effusive about the agreement reached between twelve nations, including the U.S., to implement a Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement, the deal still needs to be ratified in each nation to move towards implementation.  In order for this process to begin, the full text must be released to the public, which begins a 60-day comment period before the agreement is sent to Congress.  Congress must vote up or down on TPP without amendment and within a limited timeframe.  This process has not started yet and while USDBC's trade advisors have limited access to portions of the text, we know that for our industry, we will see tariff reductions and eliminations in some important export markets.  While not the same for all agricultural industries, we believe that TPP is going to benefit the U.S dry bean industry through increased market access and more importantly through the enforcement of a science based rules system to resolve sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) trade disruptions.  We will continue to keep the industry informed as we know more details. 

 

As we've reported before, USDBC has launched a new initiative in Colombia this year to promote U.S. pintos beans.  We are working with a handful of Colombian buyers and distributors to get new packaging on supermarket shelves noting the nutritional properties of the beans and of course, the U.S. origin.  

Each of the companies that we are working with will run their own in store promotions including cooking demos, contests, give aways, etc. With negligible historical U.S. bean sales to Colombia, we are expecting big results from this campaign.  We will be reporting on sales as we have more information, here's a look at some of the in store activities in Medellin, Colombia. (Photos courtesy of CAC Marketing and Publicidad).