Farm Groups Weigh In On TPA

December 4, 2001

The Agriculture Coalition for Trade Promotion Authority sent a letter to Congress signed by 95 groups, further evidence, the group said, that momentum is building for a positive TPA vote Thursday. But at least one farm organization urged defeat of the measure. The House is expected to take up the measure for floor action on Thursday.

In the letter to House members, the Coalition noted that the Doha Declaration calls for substantial improvements in market access for agricultural products, reductions with a view to phasing out all forms of export subsidies and substantial reductions in trade-distorting domestic supports. The declaration also called for an expeditious schedule for carrying out and concluding the negotiations. To meet the deadlines, the negotiations will have to move forward in earnest early next year.

"TPA legislation, therefore, cannot wait another year or more for additional debate without seriously damaging our trade negotiating interests," the coalition letter said. The Agriculture Coalition for Trade Promotion Authority represents food and agriculture groups dedicated to the passage of legislation granting the president TPA. It is co-chaired by the National Pork Producers Council and Farmland Industries.

However, the National Farmers Union didn't see it that way. NFU said it was joining Rep. Peter J. Visclosky (D-IN) "and others" to urge defeat of presidential trade promotion authority. In a Capitol Hill news conference, NFU Vice President of Government Relations Tom Buis outlined reasons to defeat the legislation sponsored by House Ways and Means Chair Bill Thomas (R-CA). "Congress should maintain its constitutional authority and oversight responsibilities throughout the trade negotiating process," Buis said. "To do less will represent unilateral disarmament in the effort to achieve a level playing field for U.S. agriculture."

During recent trade talks in Doha, Qatar, U.S. trade representatives agreed to include in the World Trade Organization (WTO) agenda anti-dumping protections and other measures that counter unfair trade practices and import surges from other countries. "U.S. trade remedy laws have provided an underlying assurance to American farmers, workers and industries that if the U.S. pursues a trade liberalization agenda, it will also protect them from the effects of unfair foreign trade practices," Buis said. "The administration has agreed to include these items in the WTO agenda, and if trade promotion authority is approved, may negotiate away the domestic trade laws that provide one of the few forms of leverage we have to counter the use of unfair trade practices by others."

The NFU Board of Directors also questioned the timing of the vote in letters last week to U.S. Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert (R-IL) and House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt (D-MO). "For agricultural producers, the prospect of trade promotion authority raises significant concerns about the United States' commitment to maintaining a strong and diverse domestic production agriculture sector," stated the letter, which was signed by the 26-member Farmers Union Board.

"This is the wrong bill at the wrong time," said NFU President Leland Swenson. "We are concerned that this legislation is too divisive to introduce at a time when there are several more important decisions to make in such a short time."