"Remember, every country has a constituency that is a farmer. It makes trade deals quite difficult to negotiate," said Ron Kirk, the immediate past U.S. Trade Representative for the Obama Administration.
"However, there isn't a mother or father in the world who has a concern about putting food from this country (the U.S.) on their table because it's safe. You can help feed the world and the vehicle is having thoughtful trade agreements," Kirk went on to explain to a packed audience at the opening session of IDFA's 28th Dairy Forum in Palm Desert, Calif. Dairy processors and cooperative leaders were interested in Kirk's thoughts on global trade as the U.S. continues to ramp up dairy exports around the world.
Inking trade deals between countries takes a great deal of work. The U.S. Constitution gives that authority to Congress. Since negotiating with Congress would be a near insurmountable task, the position of U.S. Trade Representative was created decades ago. Kirk was the 16th individual to serve in that post.
While Americans have been apprehensive about trade deals, the reality remains that 95 percent of the world's consumers live outside the U.S. At IDFA's Dairy Forum, Kirk offered some candid comments about his experiences on negotiating trade deals.
"Many countries believe the quickest way to revive their economies is to link to the U.S. via trade agreements," said Kirk. "However, not only do we need to open new markets but we need to keep current trading partners held accountable to fair trade practices."
Despite the challenges with getting trade agreements done, "If we can get other countries to the table, I don't think Congress has ever rejected a trade agreement," Kirk reminded the audience.
"You (the U.S. farmers) are spectacularly the most efficient agriculture machine in the world," added Kirk. He went on to explain that well-designed free trade agreements help the U.S. move ag products around the globe. "‘Made in America' is still the most treasured phrase in the world," concluded Kirk.
For those who have Twitter accounts, you can follow our coverage on the meeting at the hashtag #DairyForum2014.
