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NCGA
Urges Corn Growers: Tell Congress to Pass TPA (9-4-01)
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 President-Elect and Walsh, Colo., corn grower Tim Hume.
TPA
is the trade negotiating authority Congress has granted the previous
five presidents. Under this authority, first granted in 1974 to President
Gerald Ford, the executive branch is required to consult regularly with
Congress and seek out advice from various advisory committees and the
public as trade agreements are being negotiated.
In return, Congress
agrees not to amend legislation implementing trade agreements. This
way, trade negotiators can make agreements supported by Congress and
the American people without worrying about the agreed-upon terms being
changed after the negotiations end.
"One of our
goals," Hume said, "is to obtain congressional approval of
broad-based trade negotiating authority. We are also seeking adequate
federal funding for foreign market development programs.
"Currently,
there are more than 130 preferential trade and investments agreements
in the world today," he said, "and due to lack of trade authority,
the United States is only party to two.
"Congressional
passage of TPA to the president will make it easier to strike market-opening
agreements on agriculture with the nation's trading partners,"
Hume continued.
"With TPA,
more markets will be opened to the nation's farmers and consumers. But
consumers and farmers in other nations can benefit, too, with increased
living standards. The fact of the matter is, more than 12 million jobs
in the United States depend on exports. When Americans are able to compete
on the world stage with free trade, both trading partners are winners."
Hume emphasized
NCGA's leverage as an active leader in domestic and international agriculture
and in U.S. public policy.
"The opportunity
to appear before Congress and to meet with the resident shows that legislative
leaders and the administration regard NCGA as a leader in the agricultural
producer community," Hume explained. "Each and every corn
grower should capitalize on NCGA's leadership by contacting U.S. senators
and representatives and telling them to pass TPA."
Hume also noted
the importance of congressional approval of TPA before the end of the
calendar year. "The longer we wait, the more we sacrifice U.S.
leadership in trade policy," he said. "Our trading partners
have said it will be more difficult to negotiate market-opening agreements
without TPA."
In the past two
weeks, NCGA has sent letters to hundreds of growers in key to solicit
grower participation in a letter-writing campaign.
"We supply
the growers with a sample letter to their member of Congress, which
they can use 'as is' or as reference for their own personalized letter,"
said Hume. "We also provide an issue brief that will get growers
educated on TPA. What's important is that growers understand the issue,
how TPA can help them as growers and that they ask their member of Congress
to vote for TPA this year."
NCGA urges corn
growers and other U.S. trade supporters to contact their elected officials
supporting of TPA. To contact your senator and representatives, click
on the Action
Alert on the NCGA web site. More information on NCGA's work on TPA
and other trade issues is available on the NCGA website.
Last
reviewed September 1, 2001
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