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The leading American agriculture, manufacturing and services organizations have called for the extension of Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) to enable the United States to continue negotiating trade agreements. The TPA, signed in 2002, means that international trade agreements are subject to an up-or-down vote, but not an amendment in Congress.

The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) and Coalition of Service Industries (CSI), which represent sectors accounting for 96 percent of total U.S. exports, will work together. The groups together aim to ensure continued U.S. leadership in the on-going Doha Round of World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations and opening foreign markets through bilateral free trade agreements (FTAs).

"Much of Ohio agriculture relies on continuing and growing foreign markets for our products. We need TPA authority extended," said Adam Sharp, OFBF's senior director of national and regulatory affairs.

Sharp said, "The challenge will be getting Congress to move legislation in the aftermath of upcoming elections, which will likely produce a Congress with narrow margins for the majority party."

AFBF supports the effort to reduce trade barriers and expand markets for U.S. agriculture, which hinges on presidential trade negotiating authority.

"TPA is critical if we want other countries to engage in serious negotiations with the United States. U.S. agriculture relies on overseas markets and gaining access to those markets is vital to the overall success of farmers and ranchers. Agriculture’s ability to compete in global markets, on fair terms, with better access to expanding markets is dependent on TPA,"said AFBF President Bob Stallman.

CSI Chairman Norman Sorenson said "a successful WTO negotiation would open up markets around the world for a broad range of services in which U.S. companies are extremely competitive. The service sector represents 80 percent of U.S. economic output and the same portion of private employment in the United States and will account for virtually all new job creation in the coming years."