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Former Ag secretaries promote TPA as Vilsack makes another pitch

PHOENIX — All eight former Agriculture secretaries have signed a letter urging Congress to grant trade promotion authority to President Barack Obama.

USDA released the letter today as Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack was joined by former Secretary Dan Glickman and former Secretary Ann Veneman in a call to reporters.

Vilsack also made a pitch at the Commodity Classic here for farmers to urge their representatives and senators to support TPA.

“Every president since Gerald Ford has received TPA,” the secretaries wrote.

“Thanks to opportunities created by trade agreements, U.S. agricultural exports in fiscal year 2014 soared to a new record of $152.5 billion, propelling farm income also to new highs,” the letter said.

“Trade helps farmers, their suppliers, distributors and customers. Exports support rural economies and the U.S. economy as a whole through agricultural processing, ancillary services and a host of related businesses. This was true when each of us served as US Secretary of Agriculture, and it is true now.

“For us, the choice is clear: we encourage Congress to enact trade promotion authority and support trade agreements that help U.S. farmers, ranchers, and producers thrive,” the secretaries concluded.

The letter was signed by:

  • Secretary Ed Schafer (2008–2009)
  • Secretary Mike Johanns (2005–2007)
  • Secretary Ann Veneman (2001–2005)
  • Secretary Dan Glickman (1995–2001)
  • Secretary Mike Espy (1993–1994)
  • Secretary Clayton K. Yeutter (1989–1991)
  • Secretary John R. Block (1981–1986)
  • Secretary Robert Bergland (1977–1981)

At the Commodity Classic, Vilsack made most of the same points he has made in other speeches to farm groups on trade issues.

He said farmers and members of Congress should be pleased the United States will have the opportunity to set the rules for trade for the growing Asian middle class.

“If that is not enough to convince people that the TPP is important,” Vilsack said, they should consider what will happen “if we don’t get it done and the countries will start negotiating with each other.”

“If that is not bad enough, China is trying to convince people in Asia to agree to an all-Asia based agreement,” he said.

Vilsack also said farmers should remind members of Congress that they can “see the text at any time.”

“You can’t get more transparent than that,” he said.

The U.S. Grains Council, which promotes the export of U.S. feed grains, said in a news release, “We appreciate the secretary’s call today at Commodity Classic for renewed engagement in trade policy by U.S. farmers and completion of game-changing agreements currently being negotiated, including the Trans-Pacific Partnership.”

The Grains Council also said, “In the past 20 years, much of the growth in trade we have seen in coarse grains and co-products has come directly from the access granted by free trade agreements. NAFTA, CAFTA-DR and agreements with Korea, Panama, Peru and Colombia have lowered tariffs, kept us competitive in the global marketplace and spurred new innovation by our trading partners that has, in turn, created new demand for our products.”

The Grains Council said its leaders “are confident that the next generation of trade agreements will have even more dramatic impact as the global economy becomes more integrated and more countries realize the potential for vigorous trade to improve their economies, levels of food security and qualities of life.”