Trade
and Agriculture: Understanding the Basics
March 19, 2008
A panel of trade and agricultural experts spoke to approximately 40 Congressional staff and WIIT members on the economics and status of world agricultural trade. The first panelist, Remy Jurenas, Congressional Research Service, outlined historic agricultural trade flows and highlighted the impact of agricultural trade on the overall economy. Mr. Jurenas reported that 23 percent of U.S. agricultural production is exported abroad. Former Special Assistant to the Secretary of Agriculture for International Affairs, Paul Drazek then spoke about the history of liberalizing trade in agriculture-giving insight into the progress made during the World Trade Organization (WTO) Tokyo and Uruguay Rounds. The final panelist, Jason Hafemeister, Former Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Agriculture, discussed the current state of play for agriculture at the WTO Doha Round in Geneva. He outlined the complex issues, including sensitive product limits, domestic support levels and other stumbling blocks that still need to be resolved before a successful conclusion is possible. All three panelists then took questions and engaged the audience with dialogue on U.S. farm policy, free trade agreements and predicted outcome of the Doha Round for agriculture. Monisha Primlani, Director of International Affairs for the Grocery Manufacturers Association, moderated the panel.
This WIIT
Charitable Trust luncheon on trade and agriculture was held in the Rayburn
House Office Building. Lunch was sponsored by the Grocery Manufacturers Association
and the National Pork Producers Council.