Stallman: 'Meaningful Trade Reform' Vital to American Ag's Future

PARK RIDGE, Ill. October 11, 2000--For America's farmers and ranchers to take advantage of an ever growing world market, the World Trade Organization is going to have to carve out meaningful trade reform in the coming months, according to American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman.

Stallman, who just returned from informal meetings with WTO and foreign trade officials in Geneva, Switzerland, said many hurdles remain before America's food producers fully tap into new and increasingly wealthy world markets.

"Farm Bureau's primary goal is greater market access for U.S. farm products and to correct the tariff and subsidy disparities we now face," said Stallman during a Wednesday news conference. "America's farmers and ranchers need fairer and freer trade. We also must make sure that agricultural trade is not ignored. That's our top concern."

Worried that agriculture will be "pushed to the back burner" in future WTO talks, Stallman pledged to work at keeping farming interests at the forefront of future open trade discussions. WTO Director General Mike Moore assured Stallman that agriculture would have a place at the head table of future talks.

"Farm Bureau will be working very hard with (Mr. Moore), our U.S. officials and foreign allies in the negotiating process," said Stallman. "We want to bring home a good deal for U.S. farmers and ranchers.

"High tariff barriers, non-scientific trade restrictions and unfair trade practices are continuing to cause severe harm to America's farmers. To help overcome those obstacles to a better U.S. farm economy, we must lay the groundwork now for substantial reform in agricultural trade."

Stallman discussed some changes to the world market that could provide immediate benefits for American agriculture. President Clinton's approval of a bill that extends permanent normal trade relations status to China, and that nation's imminent ascension into the WTO, should provide a lift for American farmers reeling from three years of economic turmoil.

"We have strongly supported PNTR and WTO ascension for China," said Stallman, a rice and cattle producer from Texas. "The challenge now is to get China to stick to the provisions it agreed to, to gain PNTR and WTO membership. There seems to be a logjam on some of the guidelines. But, we are determined not to give anything else up.

"Hopefully by the second quarter of next year, it will happen. I believe the WTO is something China wants. It's just a matter of getting around to ironing out some of the details of implementation."

Stallman said the Clinton administration has assured him that it will hold China to the agreements made in granting PNTR.

Cuba presents another opportunity for America's food and fiber producers, said Stallman. With Congress on the verge of easing the decades-old trade embargo against Cuba, the economic benefits for American agriculture would be tremendous. Farm Bureau urges President Clinton to support legislation that would allow the sale of food and medicine to Cuba and other nations under U.S. embargo.

"We are pleased we have a crack in the door regarding Cuba trade," said Stallman. "It would be great to have the opportunity to do business with Cuba. But, we will have many hoops to jump through first. But it would be a great opportunity to tap into this market."

The Clinton administration's failure to implement the so-called carousel trade retaliation law is another frustration for America's food producers. In May, President Clinton signed into law a measure that would rotate European Union products subject to punitive tariffs to counter the EU's refusal to change its banana import regime and accept imports of U.S. hormone-treated beef. If properly implemented, carousel retaliation would impose 100 percent tariffs on a rotating list of European products every six months.

Clinton was expected in June to list new EU agricultural products to come under the new tariffs. He has yet to act.

"We have been upset by the foot-dragging," said Stallman. "We feel it is a violation of the law by it not being implemented. At some point, you have to fish or cut bait. We need to get the EU to abide by the beef and banana rulings. We need to put as much pressure on the EU as possible and get them to live up to their agreements."

After his meetings in Geneva, Stallman is convinced the WTO will be vital to the future economic prospects for American agriculture.

"The economic success of America's farmers and ranchers depends more than ever on our ability to carve out meaningful trade reform through the WTO," he said.

Contacts:

Dave Kelly 847-685-8751 dkelly@fb.org

Don Lipton 202-484-3624 donl@fb.org

This page was last modified Wed Oct 11, 2000 at 04:11 pm