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| Robert Bowman, left, a member of the NCGA-USGC
Joint Trade Policy A-Team, visits with U.S. Trade Representative
(USTR) Agriculture Ambassador Allen Johnson during a USTR workday
trip in Davenport, Iowa. |
NCGA promotes corn grower issues during Iowa Work Day (9-16-04)
National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) Director of Policy Hayden
Milberg joined the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Chief Agriculture
Ambassador Allen Johnson on a work day visit to Davenport, Iowa,
this week. The work day is part of a series scheduled with commodity
and producer groups around the country focusing on trade issues
important to farmers and ranchers.
“This was a unique opportunity for growers to meet with
Ambassador Johnson and discuss how trade impacts farm operations
in the countryside,” said Milberg. “This type of discussion
is critical so the U.S. Trade Representative can negotiate the
best agreement on behalf of corn growers and U.S. agriculture.”
Previous work days were on an Iowa hog farm; a Montana cattle
ranch; and a week-long series of work days on fruit, nut and vegetable
farms in California. Prior to his visit to Iowa, Johnson spent
two days in Kansas including a grower panel on Saturday morning
at the State Fair attended by NCGA Director Ken McCauley.
McCauley was one of
three members on a farmer panel with Ambassador Johnson. “It was a great opportunity for Ambassador Johnson
and the producers to discuss trade, how free trade agreements (FTA)
will affect government payments, the future of the farm bill and
exports,” said McCauley. “We also discussed what producers
can expect as far as looking to the future export markets and how
FTA’s will benefit producers.”
In Iowa, with more than
20 producers joining him, Ambassador Johnson toured a hog facility,
harvested corn and visited the Cenex Harvest
States (CHS) elevator in Davenport. While at CHS, NCGA’s “Know
Before Your Grow” website was highlighted as an important
tool for producers exporting to the international marketplace.
During a question and answer session, Johnson emphasized how agriculture
will face greater demands from customers and society while experiencing
greater competition internationally
“Growers were able to listen and pose questions on how events
in Geneva and in the World Trade Organization (WTO) impact the
grassroots membership and directly affect their marketing abilities,” said
Milberg. “Agriculture will face certain fundamental choices
in the near future and dialogues like this will help policy makers
ensure corn growers are able to take advantage and profit in an
increasingly competitive marketplace,” concluded Milberg.