Some soybean producers are pleased with the trade promotion authority granted to President Barack Obama. Last month, Congress passed a measure giving the president’s trade representative the ability to negotiate international agreements, such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership, that it can approve or disapprove but cannot amend.

John Heisdorffer, a Keota farmer and member of the American Soybean Association Board of Directors, says the association sees this as a big plus as the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations continue. The next round of talks is set to take place later this month. Chile, Japan, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam are among the Asian and South American countries joining the United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia and New Zealand in the discussions.

According to Heisdorffer, the agreement will reduce the tariffs on imports and exports which will help the United States get soy and other products into those countries. He says it would also open up markets that are currently hard to get into.