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Get the UK government to take action to ensure that trade benefits the poorest cotton farmers in West Africa.

The first step in our campaign for trade justice for West African cotton farmers is to persuade the UK government to push the EU to stop trade-distorting subsidies in the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) due to come into force in 2013. It is understood that the EU is not currently planning to discuss reform of its cotton subsidy regime, which, in the past nine years, has distributed $7 billion to cotton farmers in Greece and Spain.

Caroline Spelman, Minister of State for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, will be responsible for raising this issue with the Council of Ministers.

We need to pressure her to do everything she can to persuade her European colleagues to include cotton in the development of the next CAP.

Email Caroline Spelman below. Please add your name and address to the bottom and feel free to edit the subject line and message content.

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FAO: Rt Hon Caroline Spelman, Secretary of State for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs

Dear Mrs Spelman,

I have read about the plight of West African cotton farmers and am really pleased that you have reaffirmed the Government's commitment to eliminating EU trade distorting cotton subsidies.  The UK government was instrumental in achieving the past reduction in trade distorting subsidies and I urge you to carry on pushing for reform that will stop the US from using EU cotton subsidies as a fig leaf for its own cotton subsidies.  Crossing the table to support the West African cotton farmers to pressure the US will show clearly whose side the EU is on.  Alongside European partners, you can make this happen by taking the following steps:

-	build a coalition for support for eliminating EU coupled cotton subsidies among European member states
-	brief and support UK MEPs to vote in favour of de-coupling cotton subsidies given CAP 2020 will be agreed by co-decision
-	make direct representations to the EU Agriculture Commissioner on the impact of cotton subsidies on West African cotton farmers
-	ask your colleagues in the Foreign & Commonwealth Office to make representations to the US government to encourage the US to drop its trade distorting cotton subsidies.
 
Please could you confirm to me that you will undertake these actions in support of West African cotton farmers?  I appreciate your continued commitment to the issue and resolve to end subsidies, and would personally like to hear back from your office on how these actions are being taken forward.

Kind regards,

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