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U.S. Agriculture Secretary To Push for End to Farm Subsidies
Johanns also plans to discuss beef trade during WTO meeting in China
By Kathryn McConnell
Washington File Staff Writer
Washington -- All members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) should place elimination of agricultural subsidies high on their trade agendas, according to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns.
Johanns told reporters in Washington July 6 that farm subsidies do not meet the needs of an increasingly global market economy.
"The day has arrived for the elimination of subsidies," he said.
The agriculture secretary said President Bush's July 6 challenge to the Group of Eight nations (G8) to create a new balanced trade regime to benefit Africa was "right on target."
Bush spoke after he met with Danish Prime Minister Roul NyrupRasmussen in Lyngby, Denmark, in advance of the annual meeting of the heads of state of the G8, which comprises Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States and Russia. The meeting is taking place in Gleneagles, Scotland, July 6-8.
Johanns will travel July 9 to China for a WTO "mini-ministerial" meeting of agriculture and trade ministers to discuss ending subsidies and a variety of other issues. He said he is confident discussions will advance the development of a "reformed" WTO trade agenda before trade ministers from the 148 WTO members meet in Hong Kong in December. The reform agenda would be based on three pillars: eliminating trade-distorting export subsidies, reducing domestic supports and increasing market access.
Among issues Johanns plans to discuss with Chinese officials is China's use of sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standards, which vary among provinces, and their effect on farm trade.
The secretary also plans to discuss how the United States can help meet China's evolving food needs, which are being driven by a growing middle class, he said.
Since China joined the WTO in 2001, agriculture trade between the country and the United States has increased 240 percent, making China the fifth-largest U.S. farm export market, with particularly strong sales of soybeans and cotton, Johanns said.
The potential for further growth of U.S. farm exports to China is "very real," he added.
The safety of U.S. beef is another issue Johanns plans to address. In meetings with Chinese officials and in bilateral meetings with agriculture ministers of Japan and Korea, he will push for the reopening of the countries' markets to U.S. beef, he said. The markets were closed to U.S. beef following the discovery of the first of two cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), also known as mad cow disease, in the United States, one in December 2003 and another in June.
Johanns said results of USDA's BSE "expanded surveillance program" implemented in June 2004 in response to the first known U.S. case of the disease are "encouraging." The program, which has significantly increased the number of cows throughout the country tested for BSE, is providing a scientifically based body of information showing that U.S. cattle are "remarkably healthy," he said.
Johanns said that the program meets international testing standards and proves that testing every head of cattle is unnecessary.
The "firewalls" of the early-identification and containment system work well, Johanns said, adding they ensured that the a second case of BSE discovered in an aged cow in the United States in June could not enter the food supply.
"U.S. beef is safe," Johanns said.
The secretary said he expects Taiwan will resume importing U.S. beef because USDA has provided it with requested epidemiological information.
Johanns then plans to travel to Madagascar to sign an agreement on providing technical assistance to the country to help it meet its Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) goals for boosting agricultural and rural development. In April, Madagascar was selected as the second country to receive MCA aid. MCA is the Bush administration's supplemental aid program designed to reward countries that demonstrate a commitment to economic and social reforms.
Johanns then is scheduled to travel to Senegal to address ministers from 37 African nations at a meeting on the African Growth and Opportunity Act. The U.S. law, which became effective in 2000, offers incentives for African countries to continue their efforts to open their economies and build free markets.
Created:06 Jul 2005 Updated: 06 Jul 2005
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Johanns also plans to discuss beef trade during WTO meeting in China
By Kathryn McConnell
Washington File Staff Writer
Washington -- All members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) should place elimination of agricultural subsidies high on their trade agendas, according to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns.
Johanns told reporters in Washington July 6 that farm subsidies do not meet the needs of an increasingly global market economy.
"The day has arrived for the elimination of subsidies," he said.
The agriculture secretary said President Bush's July 6 challenge to the Group of Eight nations (G8) to create a new balanced trade regime to benefit Africa was "right on target."
Bush spoke after he met with Danish Prime Minister Roul NyrupRasmussen in Lyngby, Denmark, in advance of the annual meeting of the heads of state of the G8, which comprises Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States and Russia. The meeting is taking place in Gleneagles, Scotland, July 6-8.
Johanns will travel July 9 to China for a WTO "mini-ministerial" meeting of agriculture and trade ministers to discuss ending subsidies and a variety of other issues. He said he is confident discussions will advance the development of a "reformed" WTO trade agenda before trade ministers from the 148 WTO members meet in Hong Kong in December. The reform agenda would be based on three pillars: eliminating trade-distorting export subsidies, reducing domestic supports and increasing market access.
Among issues Johanns plans to discuss with Chinese officials is China's use of sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standards, which vary among provinces, and their effect on farm trade.
The secretary also plans to discuss how the United States can help meet China's evolving food needs, which are being driven by a growing middle class, he said.
Since China joined the WTO in 2001, agriculture trade between the country and the United States has increased 240 percent, making China the fifth-largest U.S. farm export market, with particularly strong sales of soybeans and cotton, Johanns said.
The potential for further growth of U.S. farm exports to China is "very real," he added.
The safety of U.S. beef is another issue Johanns plans to address. In meetings with Chinese officials and in bilateral meetings with agriculture ministers of Japan and Korea, he will push for the reopening of the countries' markets to U.S. beef, he said. The markets were closed to U.S. beef following the discovery of the first of two cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), also known as mad cow disease, in the United States, one in December 2003 and another in June.
Johanns said results of USDA's BSE "expanded surveillance program" implemented in June 2004 in response to the first known U.S. case of the disease are "encouraging." The program, which has significantly increased the number of cows throughout the country tested for BSE, is providing a scientifically based body of information showing that U.S. cattle are "remarkably healthy," he said.
Johanns said that the program meets international testing standards and proves that testing every head of cattle is unnecessary.
The "firewalls" of the early-identification and containment system work well, Johanns said, adding they ensured that the a second case of BSE discovered in an aged cow in the United States in June could not enter the food supply.
"U.S. beef is safe," Johanns said.
The secretary said he expects Taiwan will resume importing U.S. beef because USDA has provided it with requested epidemiological information.
Johanns then plans to travel to Madagascar to sign an agreement on providing technical assistance to the country to help it meet its Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) goals for boosting agricultural and rural development. In April, Madagascar was selected as the second country to receive MCA aid. MCA is the Bush administration's supplemental aid program designed to reward countries that demonstrate a commitment to economic and social reforms.
Johanns then is scheduled to travel to Senegal to address ministers from 37 African nations at a meeting on the African Growth and Opportunity Act. The U.S. law, which became effective in 2000, offers incentives for African countries to continue their efforts to open their economies and build free markets.
Created:06 Jul 2005 Updated: 06 Jul 2005
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