Trade Negotiations

Date: 7/07
Position Number: I-B-2
Expires: 3/08

Background: U.S. government policy must clearly and consistently promote the liberalization of the world’s trading system through both multilateral and bilateral negotiations that assure U.S. corn and corn products full access to world markets.

The U.S. corn industry is highly dependent on other sectors of American agriculture. By fully analyzing trade agreement effects on customers, we can ascertain long term effects on the corn industry.

Resolution/Position:

1. Support agricultural negotiations in the Doha Round of the World Trade Organization and U.S. priorities in the “Framework Agreement”.
2. We support efforts of the U.S. trade negotiatiors for the increase in meaningful and achievable access to foreign markets.
3. We will analyze all trade agreements and fully support those that enhance market access for corn and corn products while judiciously protecting programs that are necessary to ensure a strong viable agriculture economy. In principle we support redirecting trade distorting payments enabling WTO compliance.
4. Support bilateral free trade agreements, to assure the greatest possible opportunities for U.S. corn growers.
5. Insist the U.S. government ensure that the agricultural negotiating team includes adequate experience, expertise and knowledge of U.S. production agriculture.
6. Support sanitary and phytosanitary regulations consistent with uniform, science-based, internationally accepted standards.
7. Support the full implementation of NAFTA.
8. Oppose non-transparent state trading enterprises.
9. Support full implementation of the CAFTA agreement.
10. Support elimination of trade barriers for agricultural products derived from biotechnology including the European Union’s biotech labeling and traceability regulations.
11. Support WTO trade negotiations that allow greater foreign market access for U.S. agricultural products without compromising the basic integrity of U.S. domestic farm support.