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Congress voted to outsource the America Cowboy when they passed the Australian Free Trade agreement in July 2004. Click the House vote and the Senate vote.
WORC opposed this agreement, which has at least three serious flaws. First, this agreement threatens family farming and ranching, businesses dependent on agriculture, and rural communities. Second, it gives too much economic power to multi-national corporations. Finally, the negotiation and ratification process is unfair and undemocratic. This agreement would have disastrous consequences for many farmers, ranchers, small businesses, and rural communities.
This trade agreement would immediately end or phase out tariffs for many agricultural products, including beef, lamb, sheep, wool, wheat, and dairy products. This would clear the way for Australia to flood U.S. markets with these products, undercutting the viability of U.S. farmers and ranchers.
The Australian agreement gives more economic power to American and Australian multi-national food suppliers. Many multi-national agri-conglomerates have investments in both countries. The agreement further increases the market power of these companies, enhancing their ability to drive down prices to farmers and ranchers in both countries. In the case of beef, these corporations are expected to use international shipments of captive supplies, cattle owned or controlled by those companies, to manipulate the prices paid for both Australian and U.S. cattle.
Negotiating trade agreements, like the Australian Trade Agreement, largely happen behind closed doors. Very few people participate, but the chosen few essentially lock in entire business sectors. The very people these agreements impact the most, for all practical purposes, have no voice in this process.
American trade policy should strengthen, not weaken, the public health, environment, food sovereignty, working conditions, labor rights, and transparent, competitive market principles of this country and all countries. This trade agreement violates these principles.
WORC in the news
For more information about Australia FTA, visit the Citizens Trade Campaign.
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