Rural America Cannot Export (or Import) Its Way Out of Financial Ruin

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 21, 2017
Contact:  Quinton Robinson, 202-543-5675
QuintonNRobinson@nffc.net

Washington, DC – The National Family Farm Coalition (NFFC) asserts that the Trump Administration’s push to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) will not solve the key issues currently devastating rural America. The low prices paid to dairy farmers, livestock producers, specialty crop growers and other family farmers create very real economic problems, and simply increasing their exports of beef, pork and poultry will not address the critical need for fair prices and fair access to markets. The administration’s negotiating objectives fail to include the restoration of Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) for meat, a key demand by family farmers and ranchers across the nation.

Furthermore, agriculture-related proposals should be appropriately vetted by family farmers and ranchers in open public meetings, not behind closed doors. The process should be transparent. The agreement should also reject Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS), which is unnecessary – thanks to established judicial systems in Canada, Mexico and the US – and undemocratic, since it allows private investors to challenge national laws in private tribunals.

NFFC hopes that Members of Congress will carefully scrutinize any regulations recommended under NAFTA’s renegotiation. NAFTA should be replaced, not renegotiated, and our farmers will be watching to promote that at every turn.