R-CALF comments on NAFTA

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Cattle Alert: R-Calf Statement Regarding NAFTA Chapter 11



(Billings, Mont.) – The following statement should be attributed to R-CALF USA President and Founder Leo McDonnell:



"It is unfortunate that a frank discussion of the failures of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) will not be part of the summit tomorrow between the leaders of Canada, Mexico and the United States.



"For example, the Chapter 11 provisions of NAFTA – which grant foreign corporations and producers greater rights than U.S. citizens at special international tribunals – must be rewritten, both in NAFTA and in future trade agreements such as the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA).



"Right now, the Canadian Cattlemen for Fair Trade (CCFT) are using NAFTA's Chapter 11 to try to place pressure on the United States' independent judicial system by claiming they are due up to $1 billion Canadian dollars in compensation. Rather than taking steps to solve their problems with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) or "mad cow disease", this Canadian business group is demanding to be paid for the closure of the U.S.-Canadian border to live cattle exports into the United States.



"The Canadian border remains closed because on March 2nd, U.S. District Judge Richard F. Cebull decided that there are significant health and safety dangers from BSE. In his formal opinion, Judge Cebull wrote: 'Allowing the import of Canadian cattle into the U.S. increases the potential for human exposure to material containing the agent for BSE in this higher-risk meat. This has substantial, irreparable consequences for cattle growers and also for all consumers of beef in or from the U.S.'



"R-CALF USA believes the border should remain closed until the Canadians initiate higher safety standards and a more comprehensive testing regime to ensure public health. Why should foreign entities like CCFT be allowed to use an international tribunal of NAFTA to pressure our courts to undermine the health and safety standards of the U.S. consumers?



"Oddly enough, CCFT's claim has been lodged against the very U.S. government that is trying to open the border to Canadian cattle and beef.



"We understand that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and R-CALF USA are on opposing sides of the Canadian border issue. However, we believe a greater principle is at stake here. The U.S. government should recognize and acknowledge the separation of powers between the executive, legislative and judicial branches of our government, and stand up for the independence of the U.S. judicial system by opposing the NAFTA Chapter 11 case brought by this group of Canadian cattlemen.



"Foreign entities should not have the ability to attack U.S. standards. Trade agreements like NAFTA should be a force for progress and a force for raising health and safety standards, rather than abused as a tool to lower those standards.



"We urge President Bush to work with his foreign counterparts to correct the inadequacies of Chapter 11 in NAFTA before those who seek to manipulate the rule do real harm to U.S. citizens.



"Chapter 11 is one of the many reasons that NAFTA is a poor model for future trade agreements such as CAFTA. R-CALF USA will continue to oppose CAFTA until that agreement can be renegotiated."
 
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Well stated R-calf, as a producer in Texas, NAFTA has delivered nothing of value to my farm, its only been a drain
 
houstoncutter":2hgnkvau said:
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Well stated R-calf, as a producer in Texas, NAFTA has delivered nothing of value to my farm, its only been a drain

Same thing up here in Montana- pretty well shut down our gas, oil, and lumber industries besides cutting deeply into our cattle industy......I see where more and more in Washington are waking up to the negative impact these trade agreements are having on our country--More are coming out against CAFTA now after seeing how it could negatively affect the US farmer and rancher.......
 
Cattle Alert: Opposition to the Central American Free Trade Agreement Grows

Today 3/29/2005 10:06:00 AM


Cattle Alert: Opposition to the Central American Free Trade Agreement Grows

WASHINGTON (March 29, 2005) - Despite support by President Bush's administration, opposition to the Central America Free Trade Agreement
(CAFTA) continues to swell within America's agriculture community. Several key Congressional leaders and state Agriculture Commissioners have come out against the trade agreement, which they believe is a poor deal for the American farmer.

Last week Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.), Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, joined the growing chorus of CAFTA opposition. "I am very concerned about the Central America Free Trade Agreement," Chambliss said. "As it currently stands I will vote against the agreement when it comes to the Floor." Senator Chambliss joins many champions of American agriculture in Congress on both sides of the aisle in opposing CAFTA, including House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Collin Peterson (D-MN), Representative Earl Pomeroy (D-N.D.) and Representative Dennis Rehberg (R-MT).

In addition, Agriculture Commissioners from several key agriculture states, including Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Louisiana and North Dakota, have also spoken out against CAFTA. Last month the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) adopted a resolution to reject CAFTA.

"CAFTA, like the failed trade policies of the past, is being sold on wildly optimistic projections that sound good but never seem to materialize,"
National Farmers Union President Dave Frederickson said. "The fact is that the United States continues to come up on the short-end in trade
agreements."

"There is no better example that our trade policy isn't working than the fact for the first time in nearly a half-century the United States will
import more agriculture products than we export," Frederickson said.
 

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