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NCGA's
Support of Corn to Cuba Gains National Recognition (12-17-01)
For the first time
since the Kennedy administration, Cuba has received goods from the United
States, in the form of corn and other humanitarian aid due to the destruction
wreaked by Hurricane Michelle in recent months.
The National Corn
Growers Association (NCGA) has long supported the exemption of food,
feed and other agricultural products from unilaterally imposed sanctions,
said Garry Niemeyer, a corn grower from Glenarm, Ill., and member of
NCGA's Production and Stewardship Action Team.
Niemeyer and the
NCGA were recognized this weekend by national media for their support
of President George W. Bush's decision to provide aid to the island
country to our south. Niemeyer appeared on National Public Radio (NPR)
Saturday morning and was featured on ABC's National News Sunday night.
"Because producers
bear the full brunt of the lower prices that result from increased carryover
supplies," said Niemeyer, "we continue to urge the U.S. government
to weigh the cost to our own economy before imposing unilateral sanctions
around the world."
In 2000, the United
States exported nearly 20 percent of the domestic corn supply in bulk
export shipments and more corn in value added products, such as meat,
corn syrup and corn gluten feed. With a 2001 crop of 9.5 billion bushels,
Niemeyer said, the United States must maintain and expand its export
markets to support a stronger domestic corn price.
"Last year,
U.S. agricultural exports were valued at $51 billion," he said.
"This year, sales are expected to reach $53.5 billion, producing
a trade surplus of $14.5 billion. Dollar for dollar, we export more
meat than steel, more corn than cosmetics, more wheat than coal, more
bakery products than motorboats, and more fruits and vegetables than
household appliances. Agriculture generally ranks among the top six
U.S. industry groups in export sales, accounting for about five percent
of the nation's total exports."
Niemeyer also pointed
out how domestic corn production and price depend heavily upon the nation's
ability to export, adding U.S. growers export 250 million metric tons
of corn annually, making up approximately 65 percent of the world's
trade.
"For corn growers
that means we export the production from one of every five of the rows
that we grow," Niemeyer continued. "As you can readily see,
exports are a critical element to U.S. agriculture and the vitality
of rural America."
The shipment of
corn was produced in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota,
Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin. Niemeyer said this shipment exemplifies
the broad impact of trade in U.S. agriculture.
"With a 2001
crop of 9.5 billion bushels, we must maintain and expand our export
markets to support a stronger domestic corn price," he said. "We're
looking forward to more shipments of corn to our international customers,
including those in Cuba.
"We want to
thank the Bush administration for listening to our recommendations and
those of other agricultural organizations recently when we urged the
administration to lift trade restrictions."
Last reviewed
December 17, 2001
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