Source: Adam Behsudi, POLITCO, 10/13/14

The possibility that the United States could propose barring tobacco companies from participating in a controversial investor-state dispute clause in the Trans-Pacific Partnership has drawn opposition from the pro-tobacco North Carolina Agribusiness Council.

Business sources told POLITICO last week that the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is floating the idea of excluding tobacco-related disputes from the investor-state dispute settlement mechanism, which would prevent tobacco companies from suing governments over regulations that they consider damaging to their business.

“Excluding tobacco from any chapter of our trade agreements would strike another serious blow to our state’s economy and not do anything to advance public health,” N.C. Agribusiness Council Executive Vice President Erica Peterson said in a statement today. “It would merely allow other countries to pass protectionism policies that benefit tobacco growers in their countries and disadvantage our NC growers.”

The statement could be an attempt to elicit some sort of response from congressional members, particularly Sen. Kay Hagan who is involved in a tight contest to retain her seat in the upcoming elections, a business source said.

“As the TPP negotiations continue, we will be watching the actions of the Office of the United States Trade Representative very closely and will continue to call upon our elected officials to oppose such action at the highest levels of the federal government,” Peterson said.