The National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) and 17 state wheat organizations have joined a wide coalition of agricultural organizations in urging Congress to act quickly on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). In a letter to U.S. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, NAWG emphasized to Congress the urgent importance of passing TPP.

“TPP will directly benefit U.S. wheat farmers by opening markets for their exports, and improving their competitiveness in the global market,” says NAWG President Gordon Stoner, a Montana wheat grower. “Every day of inaction on TPP means that U.S. wheat farmers are missing out on new economic opportunities, and without enactment, our farmers are at a competitive disadvantage to countries that already have bilateral agreements in place with other countries participating in the TPP.”

TPP will eliminate barriers to trade in the Asia-Pacific region. The letter stresses the importance of boosting exports to regions of the world with growing middle classes; tearing down harmful tariffs which decrease the U.S.’s competitiveness in international trade; and establishing high-standard trade rules, which will allow the U.S. to become a leader in market-driven and science-based avenues of trade, directly improving the U.S. food and agriculture industry.

The Asia-Pacific market hasn’t been fully tapped by American exports, and the U.S. is at risk of falling behind other countries in establishing trade relationships which benefit U.S. wheat farmers. NAWG’s support of TPP and its participation in the coalition letter underlines its support of trade deals that will improve the wheat industry both home and abroad.

The following state wheat organizations also joined onto the letter: California Association of Wheat Growers, Colorado Association of Wheat Growers, Idaho Grain Producers Association, Kansas Association of Wheat Growers, Kentucky Small Grain Growers, Minnesota Association of Wheat Growers, Montana Grain Growers Association, Nebraska Wheat Board, Nebraska Wheat Growers Association, North Carolina Small Grain Growers Association, North Dakota Grain Growers Association, Ohio Corn & Wheat Growers Association, Oregon Wheat Growers League, South Dakota Wheat, Inc., Texas Wheat Producers Association, Washington Association of Wheat Growers, Washington Grain Commission.