Groups Warn of Threat TPP Poses to U.S. Dairy Sector

Saying that the Trans-Pacific Partnership’s potential impact on the U.S. dairy sector is too significant to adopt a “wait and see” approach, 11 national organizations are urging Congress to replace Fast Track with a process that contains specific safeguards for dairy farmers, workers, processors and consumers.

Borrowing from a Teamsters press release:

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.