Europeans negotiating a free trade deal with the United States have
been angling to reserve names like "feta" and "parmesan" only for cheese
made in Europe. As it turns out, they also want to mandate that beer
names like "Oktoberfest" and meat monikers like, yes, "bratwurst" be
allowed on only European-produced beer and sausages.
With a veritable Holy Trinity at risk — cheese, brats and beer — Wisconsin Democrat Sen. Tammy Baldwin jumped into action Friday, persuading a bipartisan group of colleagues to sign on to letters to U.S. trade negotiators urging them to warn Europeans that America won't accept such naming restrictions. She signed onto a similar letter last month about cheese names.
If U.S. negotiators agree to European demands, U.S. manufacturers would have to change product names to "bratwurst-style sausages," "Oktoberfest-like ale" or "the lunch meat formerly known as bologna."
"The current trade proposal by the European Union creates an uneven playing field for our Wisconsin business to compete, export and grow," Baldwin said. "I consider this an attack on our proud traditions and I am standing up for Wisconsin cheese, brats and beer."
Wisconsin colleague Republican Sen. Ron Johnson and more than 40 others signed on to her letter to Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Trade Representative Michael Froman, who has been negotiating the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership with the European Union.
"We urge you to make clear to your EU counterparts that the United States will reject any proposal in TTIP negotiations that would in any way restrict the ability of U.S. producers to use common meat names, such as bologna or black forest ham," Baldwin wrote.
Read More: Senators: Back off our brats, beer
With a veritable Holy Trinity at risk — cheese, brats and beer — Wisconsin Democrat Sen. Tammy Baldwin jumped into action Friday, persuading a bipartisan group of colleagues to sign on to letters to U.S. trade negotiators urging them to warn Europeans that America won't accept such naming restrictions. She signed onto a similar letter last month about cheese names.
If U.S. negotiators agree to European demands, U.S. manufacturers would have to change product names to "bratwurst-style sausages," "Oktoberfest-like ale" or "the lunch meat formerly known as bologna."
"The current trade proposal by the European Union creates an uneven playing field for our Wisconsin business to compete, export and grow," Baldwin said. "I consider this an attack on our proud traditions and I am standing up for Wisconsin cheese, brats and beer."
Wisconsin colleague Republican Sen. Ron Johnson and more than 40 others signed on to her letter to Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Trade Representative Michael Froman, who has been negotiating the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership with the European Union.
"We urge you to make clear to your EU counterparts that the United States will reject any proposal in TTIP negotiations that would in any way restrict the ability of U.S. producers to use common meat names, such as bologna or black forest ham," Baldwin wrote.
Read More: Senators: Back off our brats, beer
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