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NCGA Advocates Trade to Benefit
Nation's Growers (8-8-01)
This
is the first article in a four-part series on the importance of Trade
Promotion Authority to corn growers and U.S. agriculture as a whole.
The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) urges corn growers to voice
their support of TPA to their elected officials during the Congressional
recess.
No
sector of the U.S. economy is more dependent on trade than agriculture
-- and corn growers are no exception to that rule. One of every five
rows of U.S. corn is exported, and exports of other value-added corn
products such as meat, dairy, poultry, corn gluten feed, corn syrup
and biodegradable plastics add to the importance of foreign markets
for U.S. corn producers.
That
is why the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) supports Trade Promotion
Authority (TPA). "TPA would provide the opportunity for the United
States to pursue trade agreements that will open markets for U.S. farmers,"
said NCGA Public Policy Action Team Chairman and Coshocton, Ohio, corn
grower Brent Porteus.
"Now,
with U.S. senators and representatives home during the congressional
recess, corn growers have a great opportunity to tell their representatives
personally about the importance of passing TPA.
"NCGA
has a long track record of being an advocate of trade as well as trade
promotion," Porteus continued. "NCGA leads on trade policy
issues and legislation, and by working with other ag organizations,
we will convince Congress that market-opening trade agreements are vital
to long-term prosperity to the nation's corn growers."
Porteus said NCGA
supports aggressive trade negotiations and foreign market development
efforts in order to expand export opportunities for U.S. corn producers.
"One of our
goals," he said, "is to obtain congressional approval of broad-based
trade negotiating authority. We are also seeking adequate federal funding
for foreign market development programs."
NCGA urges you to
contact your elected officials and inform them you support TPA. Contact
your senator and representatives. More information on NCGA's stance
on TPA and other trade issues is available at the NCGA website at http://www.ncga.com/trade/main/index.html.
Last
reviewed August 8, 2001
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