Senator Baldwin Signs Letter Asking to Protect American Food Producers From Unfair Trade Initiatives
Friday, August 7th, 2020 -- 8:09 AM
(Wisconsin Ag Connection) -U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin and several dozen of her colleagues are calling on U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to protect American food producers from unfair trade initiatives that would require them to change the names of meat, cheese and wine they have made for decades.The Wisconsin Democrat says the recent United States-Canada-Mexico Agreement included important safeguards to protect products using common food names such as bologna, parmesan and feta. However, countries outside of North America have been exploiting protections meant for valid geographical indications in order to limit competition and block imports, which has a harmful effect on U.S. food producers and our agriculture economy. "On behalf of the food and beverage manufacturers, producers, and exporters we represent, we write today to request that the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and U.S. Department of Agriculture establish as a core U.S. policy objective in all trade-related discussions the goal of securing concrete market access assurances regarding specific common food names and wine grape varietal designations or traditional terms, including those of importance to cheese, meat, wine, and other food producers across the United States," the letter said.
The memo further stated that competitors continue to employ trade negotiations around the world to prohibit American-made products from using common food names and wine grape varietal designations or traditional terms, such as bologna, parmesan, chateau, and feta, which have been in use for decades. "Due to this continued practice by our competitors, we urge the administration to improve upon the template established in the USMCA negotiations and continue to prioritize market access and the ability of U.S. producers to use common food names in ongoing and future trade negotiations." The letter was signed by 30 Republican and 31 Democratic Senators, and is also supported by the National Milk Producers Federation.
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