Agricultural News
Ag Groups Agree- Korean Free Trade Deal Needs Congressional Vote, Now.
Thu, 08 Jul 2010 13:32:05 CDT
An ad hoc coalition of agricultural and food organizations in a letter sent today urged members of Congress to work with the Obama administration to remove any remaining impediments to a "rapid implementation" of the free trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea. Click here to download the full letter in PDF format.
At the recent G20 Summit in Toronto, President Obama announced a November deadline for dealing with outstanding obstacles to the implementation of the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement (FTA) to gain congressional approval of the deal in 2011. That agreement and the FTAs with Colombia and Panama were finalized more than three years ago and approved in those countries but are awaiting congressional action.
The 42 groups that signed on to the letter pointed out that other countries are moving forward with FTAs with Colombia, Panama and South Korea to the detriment of the United States. Canada and Colombia, for example, recently approved a trade deal that gives duty- free access to a host of Canadian products going into the South American nation. Over the past five years, Colombia has been the largest market in South America for U.S. agricultural products, with exports totaling $4.3 billion.
According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, the U.S.-Colombia FTA would boost U.S. agricultural exports by more than $815 million a year. "But now that Canada has gained preferential access ahead of us," the organizations said, "we are likely to be operating in catch-up mode for years to come."
That already is occurring for some sectors. U.S feed grain producers, for example, have been particularly hard hit because of the preferential access their foreign competitors have in the Colombian market, with the U.S. market share falling sharply from 96 percent in 2007 to 38 percent in 2009. "The fact is, literally hundreds of FTAs are being negotiated around the world, and global trade liberalization is taking place. But it is taking place with the United States standing on the sidelines," said the groups.
A total of 42 groups signed onto this letter, the full list follows:
American Farm Bureau Federation
American Feed Industry Association
American Frozen Food Institute
American Meat Institute
American Potato Trade Alliance
American Soybean Association
California Table Grape Commission
Commodity Markets Council
Corn Refiners Association
Distilled Spirits Council of the United States
International Dairy Foods Association
National Association of Wheat Growers
National Barley Growers Association
National Cattlemen's Beef Association
National Confectioners Association
National Corn Growers Association
National Council of Farmer Cooperatives
National Grain and Feed Association
National Grange
National Milk Producers Federation
National Oilseed Processors Association
National Pork Producers Council
National Potato Council
National Renderers Association
National Sorghum Producers
National Turkey Federation
North American Equipment Dealers Association
North American Export Grain Association
Northwest Horticultural Council
Pet Food Institute
Produce Marketing Association
Sweetener Users Association
U.S. Apple Association
U.S. Dairy Export Council
U.S. Grains Council
U.S. Wheat Associates
United Egg Association
United Egg Producers
USA Dry Pea & Lentil Council
USA Poultry & Egg Export Council
Washington State Potato Commission
Western Growers Association
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