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Tom Vilsack on Free Trade

Democratic IA Governor

 


Worked on building sales, consumer trust in U.S. dairy

Tom Vilsack became president and CEO of the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) in February 2017. Vilsack provides strategic leadership and oversight of USDEC's global promotional and research activities, regulatory affairs and trade policy initiatives. This includes working with industry leaders to develop a long-term vision for building sales and consumer trust in U.S. dairy.
Source: FeedingAmerica.org press release on Biden Administration , Dec 18, 2020

Government negotiations facilitate favorable trade

The US Department of Agriculture in collaboration with the Office of the US Trade Representative reached agreement with South Africa to allow most US exports of poultry, pork and beef and their products to re-gain access to the South African market. The regained access for American meat and poultry exports is the culmination of months of hard work by USDA and USTR staff. Strong agricultural exports contribute to a positive US trade balance, create jobs and boost economic growth.
Source: Obama Cabinet: USDA press release, "South Africa" , Dec 30, 2012

Build a rule-based global trading system.

Vilsack signed the manifesto, "A New Agenda for the New Decade":

Write New Rules for the Global Economy
The rise of global markets has undermined the ability of national governments to control their own economies. The answer is neither global laissez faire nor protectionism but a Third Way: New international rules and institutions to ensure that globalization goes hand in hand with higher living standards, basic worker rights, and environmental protection. U.S. leadership is crucial in building a rules-based global trading system as well as international structures that enhance worker rights and the environment without killing trade. For example, instead of restricting trade, we should negotiate specific multilateral accords to deal with specific environmental threats.

Source: The Hyde Park Declaration 00-DLC1 on Aug 1, 2000

Rescinded state commitment under CAFTA.

Vilsack is profiled in ALIPAC report on Governors

States' commitments under CAFTA:

Americans for Legal Immigration PAC (ALIPAC) compiled a list of the status of each of the 50 states with regards to CAFTA procurement. For states that have rescinded their commitment, we infer that the incumbent governor strongly opposes CAFTA (because the state made a commitment and then un-made it). For states that declined to commit, we infer that the incumbent governor somewhat opposes CAFTA. For states that committed, we infer that the incumbent governor supports CAFTA.

CAFTA is the Central American Free Trade Agreement. CAFTA expands NAFTA (the North American Free Trade Agreement, between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico) to five Central American nations (Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica and Nicaragua), and the Dominican Republic. It passed Congress on July 27, 2005.

Opposition to CAFTA procurement rules (by Public Citizen): Should an international trade agreement determine how we are allowed to spend our domestic tax dollars? Prior to the passage of CAFTA, the majority of state governments agreed: Subjecting decisions about how to spend state taxpayer dollars to second-guessing by foreign trade tribunals is a bad idea! As a result, a bi-partisan group of governors withdrew their initial agreement to bind their states to comply with CAFTA's procurement rules. Many other governors simply avoided binding their states to CAFTA's procurement rules in the first place. Common state economic development and environmental policies are prohibited by trade agreement procurement rules include:

Source: Americans for Legal Immigration PAC report 14_Lt_FT on Aug 7, 2005

Ease Canadian border-crossing rules.

Vilsack signed the Midwestern Governors' Conference resolution:

Source: Resolution of Midwestern Governors' Conf. on Canadian Border 98-MGC3 on May 12, 1998

Grant fast-track authority to the President.

Vilsack signed the Midwestern Governors' Conference resolution:

Source: Resolution of Midwestern Governors' Conf. on Agri. Trade 99-MGC4 on Nov 19, 1999

Other candidates on Free Trade: Tom Vilsack on other issues:
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Domestic Policy:Susan Rice
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Page last updated: Sep 01, 2021