[CTC] NFU: NAFTA Objectives a Missed Opportunity for Family Farmers

[Arthur Stamoulis]

NATIONAL FARMERS UNION
 
NAFTA Objectives a Missed Opportunity for Family Farmers
  
On Monday, the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) this week released its Summary of Objectives for the North American Free Trade Agreement <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001eQeMwcCqmHijKN7VEorr493EzoBd3RL8M8S6Ms0zbhCUtLb7oJe535bagKmUKyruXF9jCNYP3iRizcuXCbQx5G4ISVWcONAdviEa6HRvfNby9OW3H1pD5rRmSuPPJ4bl85gfbTerHa1E4b1JxibXCCu3z1HQNYt4Q3j1Q4g1bGxQYWVm6TJohEGyey2kbIuTU9UUpGwRojcw0AAqcvFn_5XT83XFAPilxihFdxpf1HR1cHQ-ks3Tn7ecpzSxTdkd&c=tvV9fcs2zigFK4yKTX0WP2-G33TWOBNYzFJt8JMBpnxyaHUyFvUOzg==&ch=k43E_zzXLcH9L_ifqPiNP4AvZCiDKHn71Xo0VytlSvqyaSD-oV_2Zg==> (NAFTA) Renegotiation, a document that will guide talks with Canada and Mexico expected to begin in mid-August.
 
Within its 17 pages, the Objectives outline plans to modernize and strengthen the 23-year-old trade pact by decreasing the U.S. trade deficit, preventing currency manipulation, eliminating non-tariff barriers to U.S. agricultural exports, and strengthening enforcement. Several publications <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001eQeMwcCqmHijKN7VEorr493EzoBd3RL8M8S6Ms0zbhCUtLb7oJe535bagKmUKyru2Tmuordj42xqwgjoSmP0KEwrKRcv_yzPc6Z6B-0kFFGPnjXYGEW-D1FXPN9a43SF_kfIDgcJ2e8QWGtUl0l_3FFTRDp7RO5o2W_uz_IvxHYqV0rWa9hF2uxI20MbKdDFzl1bXqSjnBP7ri0U7A1Df3-TsoIHJv9G0Y5-EyfCOl3I82wAuvejDb9eqfORe_bJkYR0ZFRErn4JSiGsD0ohB77_SLuaSGpv8aBXsgFo7XO3aAwb8JXfnA==&c=tvV9fcs2zigFK4yKTX0WP2-G33TWOBNYzFJt8JMBpnxyaHUyFvUOzg==&ch=k43E_zzXLcH9L_ifqPiNP4AvZCiDKHn71Xo0VytlSvqyaSD-oV_2Zg==>, politicians <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001eQeMwcCqmHijKN7VEorr493EzoBd3RL8M8S6Ms0zbhCUtLb7oJe535bagKmUKyru4PRW9r9mCnk-aEaV_Rbf0axdRSAxzVACi5gGmS8GXZLY0nnMWLrQp4UK3xXI5TjpnuxSWM6Ya1qPntKx36cXbU1fSPT7wYr1cv2vyDBfr--qIb1al0vLp_Pt0L_SSFFnkLR3IIqOUt5Ga3IeN_TorPR7bDVG-ZgTr3s2vP8TAJpzXVU3KWdZVy8s-OEgmli48j4RMSR92E0=&c=tvV9fcs2zigFK4yKTX0WP2-G33TWOBNYzFJt8JMBpnxyaHUyFvUOzg==&ch=k43E_zzXLcH9L_ifqPiNP4AvZCiDKHn71Xo0VytlSvqyaSD-oV_2Zg==>, and entities  <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001eQeMwcCqmHijKN7VEorr493EzoBd3RL8M8S6Ms0zbhCUtLb7oJe535bagKmUKyruRL4wEQ3XNzNaKsuaormYeNsG4u1k7-imQfn7xw0TmAeCUV9VxKCjdOCe5MWVU59YIPZjCu9pvfj4KqetHBxM3Vci5x-N8pcSCMOUGsFycCo0Cs6GzZnNqrGwiWIJ8-jboGtn08nYvCUECYYTJ_XMuY94z-atf3RbmwcVY8pEYKgkjQ2yg6pbgm7FCzkjiJLncDVnMvfvLDjEvV0MZcSPKm5B2n9KCGN1rb35-p_02hY=&c=tvV9fcs2zigFK4yKTX0WP2-G33TWOBNYzFJt8JMBpnxyaHUyFvUOzg==&ch=k43E_zzXLcH9L_ifqPiNP4AvZCiDKHn71Xo0VytlSvqyaSD-oV_2Zg==>noted the Objectives bore a striking resemblance to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), an international trade deal President Trump nixed in January.
 
In a statement <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001eQeMwcCqmHijKN7VEorr493EzoBd3RL8M8S6Ms0zbhCUtLb7oJe535bagKmUKyruaFM-MQsiHTVbPte4mo2_EEtSMws27Wn6HuZJemiTW50nE-lI2XpKew_evdJY7UshF5glN3aJW3E-cDpnNqy7MLijfXiLAlDgNJAmOrjENJ-19yj-2l6OJzCDHI6DUoyeokzOU-ui-ET53mIv7AlaZ1LRchoNLT7W-vi5DIgIorhocQp2Hbj5d3y-XU46rP_n9ugqhCDtSlg=&c=tvV9fcs2zigFK4yKTX0WP2-G33TWOBNYzFJt8JMBpnxyaHUyFvUOzg==&ch=k43E_zzXLcH9L_ifqPiNP4AvZCiDKHn71Xo0VytlSvqyaSD-oV_2Zg==> released earlier this week, NFU expressed mixed reactions to the administration's plan. Though the emphasis on balanced trade and preventing currency manipulation is encouraging, the omission of Country-of-Origin-Labeling (COOL) and controls on corporate consolidation are a missed opportunity for family farmers and ranchers.
 
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