WASHINGTON, DC – Yesterday, USA Rice joined 21 U.S. trade associations that represent a substantial cross-section of American farmers, agricultural processors, and input providers in
asking the Biden Administration to fight for U.S. farmers when engaging in the upcoming World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial.
The 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12), scheduled for June 12-15 in Geneva, Switzerland, will be the first meeting of WTO ministers since December 2017. The Ministerial was originally scheduled for June 2020 but postponed twice due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The letter states: “We firmly oppose proposals advanced by India and other WTO members that would lead to an unlimited allowance of trade distorting price supports tied to public stocks at MC12…Those countries now have massive government-controlled stocks tied up in programs that are subject to political manipulation. They have reshaped global agricultural production and trade flows by driving down prices [received by farmers] in the rest of the world and depressing production, including in other developing countries.”
The plea follows the message of a similar
letter sent by agricultural associations ahead of the Ministerial originally scheduled in December 2021.
“Moving in the direction proposed by India at this Ministerial could have devastating impacts on food security and the future of the WTO institution,” said Peter Bachmann, USA Rice vice president of policy and government affairs. “The U.S. industry is already struggling to compete on the world market because of existing price distorting practices in India and other exporting countries. It is imperative that the Administration not trade away current WTO rules underpinning agricultural markets just to secure an outcome for this Ministerial. That would be disastrous for American farmers and farmers around the world.”
As a leader within the Aggies for WTO Reform Coalition, USA Rice will be participating as a non-governmental organization at MC12.