(FRESNO, CA) - In an effort to ensure American farmers and food producers continue to have access to fair trade rules and the movement of products overseas, Livestock and Foreign Agriculture Subcommittee Chairman Jim Costa (CA-16), joined by 111 of his colleagues, sent a bipartisan letter calling on the Administration to protect common food and wine terms in future trade discussions.

"American famers and food producers are hurting like never before and we must take steps to protect access to key markets,” Costa said. “By requiring protections for common food and wine terms in any trade negotiations, we can ensure they continue to have reliable and fair access to overseas markets, which are critical to their economic health."

The letter underscores concerns the European Union misuses protections meant for Geographic Indicators (GI) -- used  to describe specialized products from specific regions, such as bologna, parmesan, chateau and feta -- to enact unjustified trade barriers to block American exports and advocates for a consistent trade policy that prioritizes specific market access assurances for these products in all trade-related discussions.

Representatives Jodey Arrington, Angie Craig, Dusty Johnson, Ron Kind, Mike Gallagher, Jimmy Panetta, and Mike Kelly joined Subcommittee Chairman Costa in leading the letter.