Trade

The CFTC shrinks the enforceability of a cross-border trading rule

On July 14, the Financial Times published an interview with Heath Tarbert, the chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) in which he all but announced the results of votes to take place the following week and beyond.

Letter to the Senate Democrat Special Committee on the Climate Crisis

The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) thanks the Committee for seeking input on the climate crisis, the most critical challenge of our time. IATP is a 34-year-old non-profit 501(c)3 organization based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. IATP works to ensure fair and sustainable food, farm and trade systems.

Despite Global Health Crisis, Bilateral Trade Negotiations Move Forward in Secrecy

MINNEAPOLIS—While most of the world was on lockdown to the COVID-19 pandemic from March through May, top United States trade officials began fast-paced and comprehensive negotiations with the United Kingdom and continued ongoing talks with the European Union.

Shocking the markets: excessive speculation and climate change

On May 13, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC or Commission) issued a warning to the trading platforms, clearing organizations (the back office processing of trades) and futures cont

Comment to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission on Position Limits

Proposed Rule: Position Limits for Derivatives (PR 2020) RIN 3038–AD99 Submitted electronically to CFTC Comments Portal: https://comments.cftc.gov

Letter to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission Markets Risk Advisory Committee's Climate Related Market Risk Subcommittee

The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) appreciates the opportunity to respond to the issues identified in the Notice. IATP first wrote on June 19, 2019 to the Commission on these issues. We are responding to four of five topics outlined in the Notice, plus our “Urgency and ambition” topic. IATP hopes that these brief comments will help the Subcommittee prepare its report for MRAC. We look forward to reading the report and to commenting on the CFTC’s proposals for implementing the “actionable materials” recommended by MRAC following its review of the report.

U.S.-Kenya FTA and the rights to land and food

You might be surprised to learn that while we’re all sheltering in place and wondering what comes next, trade negotiations that could set labor, environmental and climate rules for decades to come are moving forward. The U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has announced plans to negotiate a free-trade agreement with Kenya. This would be the first free-trade agreement the U.S. has negotiated with an African nation.