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.

The GMO labeling fight at the Codex Alimentarius Commission: How big a victory for consumers?

The Codex Alimentarius Commission is an overlooked international body with representatives of 136 governments, about 100 food industry associations, several intergovernmental organizations, and a smattering of consumer and other nongovernmental organizations.

Food safety going global

Minneapolis, February 22, 2011 — Many argue that globalized trade creates a “race to the bottom,” where the country with the weakest regulations or lowest wages ultimately sets the standards in the global marketplace. Something different may now be happening around food safety: Global forces are putting pressure on U.S.

Public health cost of global (corn) trade

Last week Mexico paid a U.S.-based corn processor, Corn Products International, Inc. (CPI) $58.4 million in accordance with a 2009 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) tribunal decision. The case illustrates the important intersection of U.S. trade policy with food and public health.

Making U.S. Trade Policy Serve Global Food Security Goals

Introduction

IATP Comment on a Revision of the European Commission Market Abuse Directive (MAD)

IATP comment on the revision of the European Commission Market Abuse Directive (MAD) to extend the authority of the MAD to cover Over the Counter (OTC) trades and trades on unregulated venues. Given the volume, value and volatility of OTC trades ($300 trillion in notional value for U.S.

A final bite of kimchi?

According to the Wall Street Journal, the U.S. is poised to make a renewed push for completion of a free trade agreement with South Korea. If the agreement moves ahead it will help President Obama make good on his pledge to double U.S.

NAFTA: Fueling Market Concentration in Agriculture

This fact sheet includes testimonies from farm group representatives in the U.S., Canada and Mexico on the role of the North American Free Trade Agreement in further concentrating agriculture markets.

Big Price, Little Benefit

Imagine the federal government chucking $2 billion down the Mississippi River. Wouldn’t happen, right? Unfortunately, it could, if the Army Corps of Engineers gets the go-ahead to build seven new navigational locks it wants on the Upper Mississippi and Illinois Rivers.

As Climate Talks Begin, Obama's Change Mandate in Question

The potential confirmation of controversial former pesticide lobbyist Islam Siddiqui as the U.S. trade representative for agriculture threatens to further undermine this administration’s credibility in international forums by privileging U.S. corporate interests over the global public interest and common good.

WTO Ministerial fails to make progress, again

Negotiations at the World Trade Organization are intractably stalled as trade ministers find themselves stuck debating a Doha Round that has long been outdated for the times. Instead, trade ministers need to step back and chart a new course for trade, according to the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy.

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