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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NCGA, USGC Pleased U.S. Pursuing Case Against EU Moratorium
Say moratorium has cost U.S. growers $300 million annually in exports
May
13,
2003
Contact: Tracy Taylor
Grondine, NCGA, 202.628.7001
Cheri
Johnson, USGC, 202.789.0789
WASHINGTON (May
13, 2003)—The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) and the
U.S. Grains Council (USGC) welcome the decision today by the Bush administration
to file a case in the World Trade Organization (WTO) challenging the
European Union's (EU) five-year moratorium on genetically modified foods.
U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Zoellick and U.S. Department
of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Ann Veneman announced the decision in
a joint news conference at USDA.
“We are pleased
the administration has pursued a case in the WTO,” said NCGA President
Fred Yoder. “The moratorium is illegal and continues to lock out
corn exports from the United States.”
Don Jacoby, chairman
of the U.S. Grains Council, joins Yoder congratulating the administration
on taking this bold move. “The outcome of this is of vital interest
to the U.S. feed grain producers and their export customers around the
world,” Jacoby said.
"The EU's persistent
resistance to abiding by its WTO obligations has perpetuated a trade
barrier unwarranted by the EC's (European Council) own scientific analysis,
which impedes the global use of a technology that could be of great
benefit to farmers and consumers around the world," Zoellick said
at the press conference.
"With this
case, we are fighting for the interests of American agriculture. This
case is about playing by the rules negotiated in good faith. The European
Union has failed to comply with its WTO obligations," continued
Veneman.
Since 1998, U.S.
corn exports have diminished from a high of 1.56 million metric tons
to approximately 23,000 metric tons last year, according to the Foreign
Agriculture Service. It is estimated the moratorium has cost U.S. corn
exports $300 million a year.
“After countless
studies the EU admits there is no scientific basis to the moratorium,
yet they continue to block shipments of U.S. corn derived from biotechnology,”
said Yoder. “It is irresponsibility at its best, blatant protectionism
at its worst.”
This afternoon,
Veneman and Zoellick joined with House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.),
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) and other
senior congressional leaders at a press conference on the subject at
the U.S. Capitol.
“I must congratulate
President Bush and Ambassador Zoellick for putting American farmers
and sound science first by challenging this illegal trade ban on genetically
modified foods before the WTO,” Hastert told reporters. “There’s
no question in my mind that the European Union’s protectionist,
discriminatory trade policies are costing American agriculture and our
nation’s economy hundreds of millions of dollars each and every
year.”
“We are thankful
to President Bush, Ambassador Zoellick, Secretary Veneman, Speaker Hastert,
Chairman Grassley, and other administration and congressional officials
for their tireless efforts on this issue,” Yoder said. “They
have been true champions to the cause of free trade and U.S. growers.”
# # #
The National Corn
Growers Association mission is to create and increase opportunities
for corn growers in a changing world and to enhance corn's profitability
and usage. NCGA represents more than 32,000 members, 25 affiliated state
corn grower organizations and hundreds of thousands of growers who contribute
to state checkoff programs.
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