Jim Goodman on replacing NAFTA, not Just Renegotiating it

JIM GOODMAN and his wife Rebecca operate Northwood Farm, a certified organic dairy farm that provides fresh milk to a local cheese producer. They also market beef directly from the farm and at the Dane County Farmers' Market in Madison, WI. Their cows are raised according to organic standards and are predomiantly grass-fed.

Jim is also a frequent contributor to National Family Farm Coalition.

On april 30th, he wrote: The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) must be replaced with a transparent trade agreement that ensures farmers in all three nations—Canada, Mexico, and the United States—receive fair prices for their production, that consumers are guaranteed the right to know the content and origin of their food, and that strong environmental protections are put in place to protect the sustainability of rural communities.

While our government officials appear to be concerned about the well being and economic viability of Wisconsin’s dairy farmers, I wonder if they are really more interested in the viability of the “dairy industry”.

Are they concerned about fair farm prices and the environment or keeping the economic engine rolling? Since the Assembly, Governor Walker and the Wisconsin Department Of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) have done all they can to encourage Wisconsin farmers to produce more milk, never questioning how much milk might be too much, I’m guessing their concern lies with a dairy industry that depends on cheap milk.

Find out more at www.nffc.net & www.northwoodorganicfarm.com