[CTC] Bill Clinton: Trade Policy 'was part of a global trend that was wrong-headed'

[Andrew Gussert]

This Special Order of Business passed at the NFU convention . . . . 

TRADE REFORM

 

WHEREAS, past unfair trade policies have failed to live up to their
proponents' promises, placing an undue burden on America's family farmers
and ranchers; and

 

WHEREAS, in July 2005 the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA)
passed by only two votes and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
passed by a close margin in November 1993; and

 

WHEREAS, since the passage of NAFTA over 38,000 U.S. small farms have gone
under, overall U.S. farm income has continued to decline and the U.S. trade
deficit has grown to over $400 billion under this agreement; and

 

WHEREAS, the CAFTA agreement allows foreign investors to completely bypass
domestic courts to challenge state, local and national environmental
protections; and

 

WHEREAS, the NAFTA/CAFTA trade agreement structure does nothing to guarantee
the safety of the food imported from these countries is equivalent to that
of the United States; and

 

WHEREAS, past free trade agreements and pending agreements do nothing to
address currency manipulation which puts U.S. producers at an economic
disadvantage; and

 

WHEREAS, polling data shows that NAFTA-style trade policies are opposed by a
majority of voters across all demographics; and

 

WHEREAS, the passage of NAFTA caused approximately 880,000 lost jobs in the
United States and the passage of CAFTA caused approximately 1 million lost
jobs in the United States; and

 

WHEREAS, the WTO negotiations continue and the United States is advocating
for lower reductions in farm programs while other countries are not required
to reduce their programs to an even playing field; and

 

WHEREAS, NFU continues to support, advocate, and participate in the
International Federation of Agricultural Producers (IFAP) to play a vital
role providing world's farmers with a forum to exchange ideas on farming
practices, trade policy and environmental policy;

 

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, NFU shall support fair trade and advocate that the
structure of future and pending trade language and other acts allows U.S.
agriculture to be a net exporter as a result of the agreement; controls
currency manipulation; elevates labor standards in countries with lower
standards; equalizes food safety standards to those of the U.S.; increases
global competitiveness; and decreases the loss of jobs in the United States;
and

 

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, National Farmers Union will continue to advocate
for the TRADE Act to determine if past agreements signed by previous
administrations are being honored and to verify that market access promised
to United States farmers is being granted.

 

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