Trade

IATP has long been a leader in making sure global agreements protect the rights of farmers around the world. We are active at the United Nations and World Trade Organization and through various bilateral and multilateral agreements to ensure that the rights of farmers to receive a fair price, engage in conservation and sustainable practices, and even just to stay on their land are upheld and respected. We also monitor trade agreements to make sure food safety, environmental safeguards and the rights of farm workers are protected. Visit our Trade & Governance page to learn more. 

Agriculture in TPP: Repeating NAFTA’s mistakes

Farmers, union, environmental and women’s activists gathered in Mexico City last week to take stock of the lessons from NAFTA and plan strategies to confront the next big threat: the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP). One of the earliest lessons from the NAFTA experience was that people and environments in all three countries were affected. The stories from Mexico, Canada and the U.S.

Fast track targets local foods efforts

Congress is quietly considering legislation that would speed the passage of two mega trade agreements, and seeks to specifically eliminate government programs that favor “localization.” The bill would give the Obama Administration what is known as “fast track” authority—meaning Congress would surrender its constitutional authority to shape trade agreements negotiated by the president and instea

We’re fed up!

On a slightly chilly morning last Saturday in Berlin, more than 30,000 people marched through the city to raise their voices against industrial agriculture and for good food and good farming. This was the fourth year for the Wir Haben Agrarindustrie Satt (We’re Fed Up with Agribusiness) march, and the biggest so far.

Fast tracking a corporate agenda

The U.S. trade debate shifted into high gear yesterday with the introduction of Congressional bills to fast track trade deals. If approved, this would give the administration the authority to negotiate trade deals behind closed doors and then submit the resulting agreements to Congress for an up or down vote, with very limited debate and no possibility of amendments.

How beer explains 20 years of NAFTA’s devastating effects on Mexico

Mexico’s largest agribusiness association invited me to Aguascalientes to participate in its annual forum in October. The theme for this year’s gathering was “New Perspectives on the Challenge of Feeding the World.”  But it was unclear why Mexico, which now imports 42 percent of its food, would be worried about feeding the world. It wasn’t doing so well feeding its own people.