Special Report

NFU does not back Obama trade strategy

President Obama is finding no support on his trade issues from the National Farmers Union.  Minnesota Farmers Union President Doug Peterson says he’s uncomfortable with Trade Promotion Authority, which limits Congressional consideration of trade deals to an up or down vote; no amendments allowed.  Peterson says Congressional debate on the agreements brings transparency to the process.

“Trade will always happen; countries are going to trade,” Peterson told Brownfield Ag News.  “It’s a matter of how you want to trade, if you want to respect the fact that we have environmental standards, labor standards and then also regulations on food safety.”

Peterson says U.S. farmers can compete globally on a level playing field, but without Congressional oversight of trade agreements, he tells Brownfield Ag News the U.S. is put at a disadvantage.

“As soon as we drop below that and start allowing things underneath the tariff and underneath the sales tax stuff to come into our country we start distorting our trade balance, and when we distort our trade balance, American workers, American farmers and American businesses suffer,” said Peterson.

Those who back Trade Promotion Authority and the Trans Pacific Partnership say not taking action will hurt the U.S. when other countries are making trade deals with each other.

AUDIO: Doug Peterson — Minnesota Farmers Union (3 min. MP3)