Distillers from across Tennessee gathered today in Nashville to discuss with United States Trade Representative Michael Froman the positive impact of international trade and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement on the U.S. distilled spirits sector and tour Nelson’s Greenbrier Distillery.
Tennessee is the leading state for U.S. spirits exports, accounting for nearly 44 percent of total U.S. spirits exports in 2015 and 64 percent of total whiskey exports. In 2015, whiskeys exported from Tennessee were valued at $691 million, ranking whiskey as the second largest agricultural export from the state.
“As the home of Jack Daniel’s, George Dickel and several other rapidly growing brands, Tennessee is well positioned to benefit from the opportunities offered by the Trans Pacific Partnership,” said Distilled Spirits Council President & CEO Kraig R. Naasz. “Given the presence of so many well-established and new distilleries opening across the state, increasing exports of Bourbon and Tennessee Whiskey will lead to more jobs and be good for Tennessee’s economy.”
In 2015, U.S. distilled spirits exports reached almost $1.56 billion, which marks the ninth consecutive year U.S. spirits exports surpassed one billion dollars and the sixth consecutive year of record export growth. Comprising almost 70 percent of total U.S. spirits exports, whiskey is the key growth driver of U.S. exports. In 2015, the value of U.S. whiskey exports totaled $1.01 billion, marking the fourth consecutive year in which American Whiskey exports surpassed the $1 billion mark.
The Distilled Spirits Council strongly supports TPP because it will open markets for U.S. distilled spirits products. The trade agreement includes Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States and Vietnam.