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>From the American Farm Bureau Federation's Website at:
http://www.fb.com/news/nr/nr99/nr0504.html
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Farm Bureau: Expedite Next WTO Ag Trade Round
WASHINGTON, D.C., May 4, 1999 - Farmers and ranchers want the next round of worldwide trade talks on agriculture within the World Trade Organization (WTO) to proceed quickly, the American Farm Bureau Federation told a Senate committee today.
"We have set a goal for conclusion of the agricultural negotiations by the end of 2002 to ensure that our producers gain increased market access in a timely manner," said Bryce Neidig, Nebraska Farm Bureau Federation president and AFBF board member.
"The United States has a tremendous opportunity before it to shape the agenda for the next round and should seize this chance to demonstrate to the world that we are committed to expanding export opportunities for U.S. agriculture," Neidig said. "Given the economic turmoil being experienced in many of our important export markets, the launching of new negotiations to further open doors for U.S. agriculture has never been more important."
Neidig reminded the Senate Banking Committee that agriculture is one of the few industries that consistently runs a trade surplus. "Agriculture's longstanding history of a balance of trade surplus will not continue if we are relegated to the sidelines as new negotiations in agriculture commence," he said.
"U.S. agriculture is reeling from low commodity prices," he said. "Given an abundant domestic supply and a stable U.S. population rate, expanding existing market access and opening new export markets for agriculture is more important than ever. Moreover, global food demand is expanding rapidly and more than 95 percent of the world's consumers live outside U.S. borders."
Neidig told the committee, which was examining negotiating objectives for agriculture in the next round of trade talks, that when Congress passed the 1996 Freedom to Farm Act, it phased out farm price supports, making U.S. agriculture even more dependent on world markets. American farmers and ranchers produce an abundant supply of commodities far in excess of domestic needs and their productivity continues to increase. Exports are agriculture's source of future growth in sales and income.
"The ability of U.S. agriculture to gain and maintain a share of global markets depends on many factors," Neidig said. "These include obtaining strong trade agreements that are properly enforced, enhancing the administration's ability to negotiate increased market access for U.S. agriculture and building in the necessary changes to the WTO dispute settlement process to ensure timely resolution of disputes.
Leadership on global trade liberalization agenda "has paid off for American agriculture," Neidig said. "If the United States now leaves it to others to form new trade pacts and write future rules for trade, U.S. producers, processors, and exporters will be severely disadvantaged in the competitive marketplace of the 21st century. We are counting on this administration and Congress to ensure that U.S. farmers and ranchers have a significant place at the negotiating table, armed with the tools they need, including trade negotiating authority."
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