Congressional Representatives Asking Current Administration to Protect Food Terms as They Discuss Future Trade Agreements

Thursday, November 5th, 2020 -- 10:03 AM

(Wisconsin Ag Connection) -A group of eight congressional representatives, including Wisconsin's Mike Gallagher and Ron Kind, are asking the current administration to protect common food terms as they discuss future trade agreements with other nations.

In a letter to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, the lawmakers expressed concern over the European Union's protections meant for Geographic Indicators to enact trade barriers meant to block American exports.  "The European Union has used GIs to raise trade barriers for products labeled with common food terms, as well as traditional wine terms. Examples include, but are not limited to, bologna, parmesan, chateau, and feta," the letter stated. "We urge the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and U.S. Department of Agriculture to draw upon the type of precedents and commitments established in the United States-Canada-Mexico Agreement to further strengthen protections for U.S. producers by negotiating agricultural market access safeguards for products marketed using specific common food terms, traditional terms, or legitimate plant and grape varietals in all future U.S. trade negotiations."

John Umhoefer of the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association says the issue is crucial to the growth of Wisconsin's dairy farming and processing industry.  "Generations of Wisconsin cheesemakers craft cheese styles that rival or best European cheeses in international competitions," Umhoefer said. "Cheese styles and names in use for decades, if not centuries, should not be taken away from America's dairy industry as we build successful trade in global markets."  Some of the cheese products included in the EU protections include Provolone, Parmesan, Romano, Feta, Asiago, Gorgonzola, Grana and Fontina.  Other co-signers of the memo include Reps. Jim Costa (D-CA), Jodey Arrington (R-TX), Angie Craig (D-MN), Dusty Johnson (R-SD), Mike Kelly (R-PA), and Jimmy Panetta (D-CA).

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