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News :: Agriculture |
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"Free" Trade & US Corn Producers |
Current rating: 0 |
by ACGA
(No verified email address) |
09 Jun 2003
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With the World Trade Organization/Corporate Global Police meeting approaching in September non-governmental organizations are speaking out. This should be of interest to people in central Illinois. Keep your eye on C-SPAN. |
News From The American Corn Growers Association
For Immediate Release
Contact: Larry Mitchell (202) 835-0330
www.acga.org
================================================
*** MEDIA ADVOSORY ***
Keith Dittrich to Address Congressional Progressive Caucus
on the Impacts of Free Trade on U.S. Corn Producers
WHO: Keith Dittrich, President of the American Corn Growers Association
WHAT: Presentation of Testimony
to the
Congressional Progressive Caucus
on the
Impacts of Free Trade on U.S. Corn Producers
WHEN: Thursday, June 12, 2003
9:00 a.m. EDT
WHERE: Gold Room of the Rayburn House Office Building
South Capitol Street at C Street
Washington, D.C.
================================================ |
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Testimony At Hearing |
by ACGA
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
14 Jun 2003
|
News From The American Corn Growers Association
For Immediate Release
Contact: Larry Mitchell (202) 835-0330
www.acga.org
================================================
ACGA Testifies Before Congressional Progressive Caucus on Trade Agreements
Urges Serious and Thorough Review of Historic Implications of Past Trade Agreements
WASHINGTON - June 12, 2003-The American Corn Growers Association (ACGA) President, Keith Dittrich, a corn farmer from Tilden, Neb., testified today in the Rayburn House Office Building of the nation's capital before the Progressive Caucus of the U.S. House of Representatives regarding the impact of free trade agreements on corn farmers.
"Early in the process of negotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the Uruguay round of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), ACGA assessed the dramatic effects on U.S. agriculture if reductions in domestic farm programs were made under the auspices of trade liberalization," stated Dittrich. "First of all, we knew that exports of basic commodities were relatively inelastic, and secondly, that reductions and the elimination of price support mechanisms, such as grain reserves and supply management programs, would have devastating effects on family farmers here and abroad. I would like the record to show that we sounded the alarms far and wide of what would happen if such a course were followed, but apparently this fell on deaf ears."
"To this day, the U.S. government has continued to demand liberalized trade around the globe and radically adjust farm programs, which has led to the devastation of Rural America. In my home community, radical changes have taken place as family farm operations have either had to expand to survive or seek off-farm jobs to make ends meet," reported Dittrich. "Currently, our rural communities in Nebraska are facing severe education budget shortfalls that threaten to close many schools down. The infrastructure has either degraded or stagnated since these trade agreements have passed."
More than a dozen members of Congress were part of the briefing, including Co-chairs Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio and Barbara Lee, D-Calif. as well as Representatives John Conyers, D-Mich, Bob Filner, D-Calif., Raúl Grijalva, D-Ariz., Sheila Jackson-Lee, D-Texas, Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio, Major Owens, D-N.Y., Ed Pastor, D-Ariz. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Donald Payne, D-N.J., and Lynn Woolsey, D-Calif.
"Since trade liberalization's effects were so damaging to U.S. producers, one would think that the winners were farmers from other nations who supposedly have better access to markets through trade liberalization," said Dittrich. "To the contrary, farmers around the world have suffered along with U.S. farmers as commodity prices fell globally. Many have suffered even more seriously than US. producers due to the lack of any income assistance, and even consumers have failed to benefit from reduced commodity prices. Data show that retail consumer food prices have increased by nearly 250 percent over a twenty-five year period, while prices paid to corn farmers have decreased 67 percent. In reality, the only winners are the multinational food and grain processing and exporting companies."
"ACGA urges a very serious and thorough review of the historic implications of past trade agreements before drafting, negotiating and ratifying any future trade agreements," concluded Dittrich. "We cannot afford the mistakes that have been made in the past."
The American Corn Growers Association represents 14,000 members in 35 states. See www.acga.org .
Click the following link to review the testimony:
http://www.acga.org/news/2003/061203b.htm |
