Amid protest, trade ministers from the US and 11 other countries gathered in New Zealand Thursday to sign the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)—a trade agreement involving 12 countries along the Pacific Rim that account for up to 42 percent of all US agricultural exports. Each country must now ratify the agreement through its own political process.
Supporters say the agreement—now more than five years in development—will bolster trade among member countries by eliminating tariffs and other barriers, while opponents fear the deal could be bad for jobs and award too much power to corporations.