Japan has added Kobe beef to a list of government protected regional brands. The move comes as producers wait for what may be a flood of competing products stemming from the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Meatingplace reports Tokyo’s “geographical indication” system allows for special markings on packages of designated food items to help get consumers’ attention and boost sales. The government is promoting its agricultural products to help improve competitiveness before the TPP deal is in place, allowing for more competing products from 11 other countries, including the United States, to enter the market. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said recently at the National Chicken Council annual meeting that the deal gives the U.S. “a stake in the ground” in Asia, which in 15 years will be home to two-thirds of the global middle class.
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