Sioux Empire Today

U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson and U.S. Senators John Thune and Tammy Baldwin have reintroduced the Safeguarding American Food and Export Trade Yields (SAFETY) Act. This legislation aims to protect American food products from unfair trade practices imposed by foreign countries.

Johnson stated, "Fair trade agreements and practices are necessary to ensure American agriculture products have access to global markets." He criticized actions by the European Union to prohibit the use of common food names by U.S. producers, calling them confusing for consumers and costly to producers.

Senator Thune emphasized the need for the legislation, saying, "For decades, global competitors have tried to limit competition, block imports, and restrict American-made products from being able to use common food and beverage names by exploiting valid geographical indication protections." He aims to level the playing field for South Dakota producers with this effort.

Supporting the measure, Senator Baldwin said, "Our Made in Wisconsin agricultural and food products are rightfully world-renowned for their quality," noting that unfair trade practices harm local businesses and their employees.

This legislation has received endorsement from industry leaders. Marv Post of the South Dakota Dairy Producers underscored the importance of fair treatment in global markets, while Gregg Doud of the National Milk Producers Federation praised the act as a significant step toward fair competition.

Krysta Harden, from the U.S. Dairy Export Council, highlighted the need for a proactive approach to protecting common names in marketing and sales. Similarly, Jaime Castaneda, from the Consortium for Common Food Names, emphasized the historical misuse of geographical indication rules that have adversely affected U.S. producers.

The bill proposes amendments to the Agriculture Trade Act of 1978. It includes defining common names for agricultural commodities and directing U.S. officials to negotiate with foreign partners to protect these naming rights. The bill is co-sponsored by Senators Roger Marshall and Tina Smith, and Representatives Jim Costa, Michelle Fischbach, and Jimmy Panetta.