WASHINGTON (October 31, 2025) – The National Potato Council is disappointed that the U.S.-Japan agreement did not include fresh market access for U.S. potatoes. Japan has delayed this market access request from the U.S. for thirty years, including delays as recently as this month.
“It is very disappointing that the U.S. was unable to use President Trump’s tariff leverage to push past Japan’s protectionism and finally open this valuable market,” said NPC CEO Kam Quarles.
The meeting this week between President Trump and Prime Minister Takaichi did not include any mention of U.S. fresh potato access, nor was any reference made to it in follow-up statements. This was preceded by talks between USDA and MAFF officials earlier in October where Japan again provided no timeline for concluding the three-decade request.
Since the end of the first Trump Administration, U.S. family farms have lost over $750 million in exports to Japan due to this protectionism. Earlier this year, President Trump’s announcement of tariffs upon Japan provided significant leverage to finally end the Japanese strategy of negotiation-without-
“Despite this disappointment, we were pleased by U.S. Chief Agriculture Negotiator-nominee Dr. Julie Callahan’s comments Wednesday before the Senate Finance Committee, where she acknowledged Japan’s delaying strategy is a non-tariff trade barrier. This has been stated by our industry for years, and we very much appreciate Dr. Callahan’s clear assessment and focused intent to open this market to benefit family farms across the U.S.,” said Quarles.
With low commodity prices and increased input costs this year, the potato sector and specialty crops in general are facing a major economic crisis. “The loss of this opportunity in Japan deepens this crisis and increases the imperative for the Administration and Congress to provide meaningful economic relief for U.S. specialty crop growers,” said Dean Gibson, National Potato Council Vice President of Legislative Affairs and a grower from Idaho.
Should the U.S. be successful in finally achieving access, the Japanese market for U.S. fresh potato exports is estimated at $150 million annually. The inability to access Japan puts increased pressure on positive outcomes on tariffs and non-tariff barriers for potato products in other valuable export markets for the U.S.
***AUDIO*** You can hear Kam Quarles discuss this and other topics on the Friday, October 31st, 2025 episode of Agriculture of America below. The interview starts at the 10:00 minute mark of the podcast:
