Switcheroo: GOP farm group supports Obama, Dem group opposed

The push to give the President authority to negotiate trade agreements with just an up or down vote of Congress seems to be gaining momentum. That’s after Friday’s announcement that 8 former Secretaries of Agriculture have signed onto a letter calling for granting of TPA. South Dakota Farm Bureau President Scott Vanderwal whose group supports TPA says it’s a good sign the former Ag leaders are backing that measure. [WNAX]

And:

Friday, 8 former Secretaries of Agriculture came out in favor of Congress giving Trade Promotion Authority to the President. Farmers Union continues to oppose that authority. South Dakota Farmers Union President Doug Sombke says one of the problems with TPA is it doesn’t improve the trade deficit that seems to keep growing every year which hurts the U.S. with most of their trade deals. Sombke expects a very tough fight going forward to try and stop TPA from being granted. Sombke also says his group opposes TPA because it leaves Congress out of the process. He says just giving them an up or down vote keeps them from giving oversight to trade agreements. [WNAX]