World Trade Organization (WTO)

The WTO’s Agriculture Agreement was negotiated in the 1986–94 Uruguay Round and is a significant first step towards fairer competition and a less distorted sector. It includes specific commitments by WTO member governments to improve market access and reduce trade-distorting subsidies in agriculture. These commitments are being implemented over a six-year period (10 years for developing countries) that began in 1995.

Participants have agreed to initiate negotiations for continuing the reform process one year before the end of the implementation period, i.e. by the end of 1999. These talks have now been incorporated into the broader negotiating agenda set at the 2001 Ministerial Conference in Doha, Qatar.

The WTO also includes agreements to ensure strict health and safety regulations are not being used as an excuse for protecting domestic producers. The “Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Agreement” sets out the basic rules how governments can apply food safety and animal and plant health measures.

It allows countries to set their own standards. But it also says regulations must be based on science. They should be applied only to the extent necessary to protect human, animal or plant life or health. And they should not arbitrarily or unjustifiably discriminate between countries where identical or similar conditions prevail.

NCGA supports the goals of the WTO, but opposes measures that unfairly restrict the international grain trade. Corn growers need to make sure sound science prevails and labeling and traceability requirements are not used to restrict competitive access to markets. Corn growers support USTR in its ongoing efforts to promote free and fair trade and favor utilizing dispute settlement actions in the WTO when constructive dialogue is no longer an option.