MSNBC "The Ed Show"- Transcript: Free Trade

Interview

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For more let me bring in Senator John Tester of Montana. Senator, good to
have you with us tonight. What has unfolded with NAFTA has gone in front
of the World Trade Organization. They`re saying that a country origin or
labeling isn`t going to make it.

And now you`ve got the Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack who was saying that
Congress has to chance this law so the United States can adhere to this
trade rule. I know this is big with ranchers and farmers and of course the
food industry in this country. Where do you stand on this Senator?

SEN. JON TESTER, (D) MONTANA: Well, I mean this is crazy Ed. I mean this
is why you need fair trade not free trade. Listen I heard the previous
statement where you talked about food being labeled coming from the United
States. And they found that to be illegal. What is wrong with that?

It`s amazing to me that we`re going to let an organization outside of the
United States, the World Trade Organization tell us that a law that
Congress passed, that was signed by our Republican president in 2008 is
illegal. That`s crazy and it`s what wrong with this trade agreements, they
don`t allow for countries to be able to do what`s right by their consumers,
and what`s right by the American consumer, is tell them where their foods
from.

SCHULTZ: So...

TESTER: And it`s as simple as that. It`s not that big a deal. It`s
pretty common sense to me.

SCHULTZ: So, Senator this really in unfolding to be a perfect example as
to how international trade deals can circumvent a representative government
here in America.

TESTER: Yeah...

SCHULTZ: Where you vote on something, it get signed but it`s really not
law if there`s a trade deal internationally where other countries can come
in and dictate to America. What do you this is going to the debate?

TESTER: Well, I don`t know I didn`t seem to affect the debate much in the
Senate. What I heard from many of the folks that I served with that this
trade agreement wasn`t going to impact our laws in this country at all and
then presto chango. Two days ago the WTO comes in and says Country of
Origin Labeling is no longer legal and we`re going to throw on $2 billion
with the terrorist if you keep it. It`s crazy and I just -- I can`t
believe, I mean...

SCHULTZ: Yeah.

TESTER: ... you know, I tell folks that the family farms and ranches in
this country are the backbone of this country. And its decisions like this
that aren`t even made by the United States of America or it`s people that
end up working against us and working against family farms and ranchers in
this country.

SCHULTZ: Now, country origin labeling is been on the Farm Bill since 2008.
And this of course is big for food security, food protection. And now --
where is going to go, is this going to get ripped out of the Farm Bill, or
do you think that the -- Vilsack the Ag Secretary says you got to reverse
the law so it will fit the trade deal...

TESTER: Well...

SCHUTLZ: ... this would bring a big fight. 92 percent of the American
people wanted COOL, Country OF Origin Labeling.

TESTER: And I`m part of that 92 percent. I think it`s very, very
important. What we`ve seen happening in the House already is a bill kick
out of the committee to repeal Country of Original Labeling. I just can`t
express my dismay with having to live by rules created by somebody outside
this country. It doesn`t make any sense.

And really it doesn`t make any common sense, now people are going to
grocery stores, there`s going to be no labeling on where the country came
from. They`ll see that USDA inspected seal. The meat may come from
Southeast Asia or Argentina or anywhere and they`ll assume its American
beef.

Look, we raise the best beef in the world. The best pork in the world,
right here in this country we got to able to label it.

SCHULTZ: Senator Jon Tester of Montana. Good to have with us tonight. I
appreciate you time.

TESTER: Thanks to you Ed.

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