Traidcraft's high-flying message to Obama

This followed on from our protest outside the Foreign Office yesterday, where campaigners urged Foreign Secretary William Hague to raise the issue of illegal and unfair US cotton subsidies with the President.

Although the balloons did a great job of drawing the attention of the waiting crowds and press, the aim was to send a message direct to Obama that we need action – not more hot air – on US cotton subsidies.

Prime Minister David Cameron and President Obama also announced today that a priority area for cooperation would be tackling global poverty.

While Traidcraft welcomes this decision, a clear way for Obama to demonstrate this commitment would be to take the urgent and necessary step of cutting damaging US cotton subsidies now.

This would improve the lives of millions of farmers in developing countries who depend on cotton for their survival, but are unable to get a fair price for their crop because of the billions of dollars in hand-outs that US cotton farmers receive.