[CTC] Groups express dairy concerns within TPP negotiations

[Arthur Stamoulis]

Great job by the Teamsters, National Family Farm Coalition, National  
Farmers Union and Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy for  
exposing threats posed by the TPP to dairy farmers and processors...


Groups express dairy concerns within TPP negotiations

http://feedstuffs.com/story-groups-express-dairy-concerns-within-tpp-negotiations-45-95610

Congress should not approve the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal  
without carefully considering the impact on U.S. dairy farms and  
workers, according to a letter delivered to eight key Congressional  
members by 11 national organizations. They're also asking for a  
different approach to "fast track" Trade Promotion Authority.

The TPP has the potential to become the biggest trade deal in  
history.  As the 16th round of talks gets underway March in Singapore,  
negotiators now include Brunei, Chile, New Zealand, Singapore,  
Australia, Canada, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, the United States and  
Vietnam.  Other Pacific Rim nations - notably Japan, the Philippines  
and Thailand - are watching the talks closely, with an eye to joining  
the trade pact.

The letter was hand-delivered to Capitol Hill by representatives of  
the ad-hoc national "fair trade" coalition, consisting of the Citizens  
Trade Campaign, Family Farm Defenders, Food & Water Watch, the  
Federation of Southern Cooperatives/ Land Assistance Fun, the  
International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Institute for Agriculture and  
Trade Policy, League of Rural Voters, the National Farmers Union, and  
Rural Coalition/Coalicion Rural.

The letter states the pending trade deal could have tremendous impact  
on where and how dairy products are produced and processed.

"New market access for New Zealand's monopolistic dairy sector would  
be especially damaging to U.S. dairy farmers and those who produce and  
process nonfat dry milk, butterfat or cheese," the letter states.

To make sure the U.S. dairy industry won't be decimated by the TPP,  
the letter urges Congress to adopt new trade policymaking procedures  
rather than reinstating so-called "fast-track" authority.

Ben Burkett, a farmer and the president of the National Family Farm  
Coalition, explained why his group joined the call to Congress, "This  
letter elevates an issue so important to our dairy farmer members and  
to all consumers. The future of our nation's 60,000 dairy farmers is  
at stake."

"National Farmers Union supports trade agreements that benefit U.S.  
agriculture and promotes societal goals of healthy communities,  
feeding the poor, economic justice, human rights, and a sound  
environment. If those high standards are to be met in the Trans- 
Pacific Partnership, Congress needs to weigh in on the terms of the  
agreement now, before the negotiations are concluded," said Roger  
Johnson, president of the National Farmers Union.

The letter was sent to House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank  
Lucas of Oklahoma and Ranking Member Collin Peterson of Minnesota;  
House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp and Ranking Member  
Sander Levin, both of Michigan; Senate Agriculture Committee Chair  
Debbie Stabenow of Michigan and Ranking Member Thad Cochran of  
Mississippi; and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus of  
Montana and Ranking Member Thad Cochran of Mississippi.


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