Family Farm Defenders Urges Congressman Kind to
Support the Working People of Wisconsin by Opposing Unfair Trade Deals

Family Farm Defenders

Rep. Ron Kind

Farmers, workers and their allies will be speaking out against unfair trade deals and urging Rep. Ron Kind to oppose Fast Track outside his La Crosse, Wis. office (205 5th Ave. S. #400) on Friday, February 27 at 12:00 Noon.  Many of them will be gathering at 11:30 am outside the main entrance to the MOSES Organic Farming Conference  before heading over to Representative Kind’s office to insist that he standup for the interests of the working people of Wisconsin and not those of corporate elites.

The White House is now trying to railroad through Fast Track as a prerequisite for passing the TransPacific Partnership, as well as the TransAltantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).  Under Fast Track, Congress will have no power to amend either sweeping trade deal. Worse yet, they are so secretive that much of Congress – including Rep. Kind – has not been allowed to even see a draft.

“Farmers, ranchers, farmworkers, and fishing people are trying to save their livelihoods around the world from the threat of corporate globalization,” noted Joel Greeno, president of Family Farm Defenders from Kendall, WI.

“Last year,” Greeno added, “we were here to urge Rep. Kind to look out for the interests of real people in his district, and we are now back again to tell him to stop trading away our rights!  Every other trade deal has only led to a worsening trade deficit, loss of good paying jobs, and declining middle class income – all for the sake of more corporate profit.  I hope that Ron Kind, as my elected representative, will choose to do the right thing to save our communities and the planet by opposing Fast Track, as well as the TPP, TTIP, and any other unfair trade deals waiting in the wings.”

In 2014, Family Farm Defenders and its allies delivered a basket of mystery imported dairy products to Rep. Kind’s office, warning that if the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) passed U.S. farmers and consumers would face a veritable flood of dubious milk protein concentrate, casein, and tainted infant formula from overseas.

For example, imported infant formula has been found to contain toxic levels of melamine, while imported milk protein concentrate (MPC) undergoes no safety testing for residues and is not even deemed fit by the FDA for use in human food.  Those attending last year’s Organic Farming Conference were shocked to learn that the U.S. now imports over 265 dairy products, yet the U.S. public remains woefully ignorant of this since there is not yet country of origin labeling (COOL) for dairy.

Not surprisingly, one of those pushing hard for Fast Track and TPP is Fonterra, the New Zealand-based dairy giant that now controls 40% of the global market and is aggressively expanding its U.S. influence.

To find out more about the Fast Track and other unfair trade deals, as well as the positive alternative offered by the international food sovereignty movement, please stop by the Family Farm Defenders’ booth at the MOSES Organic Farming Conference, or visit www.familyfarmdefenders.org and the organization’s Facebook page.

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