04/14/05 C.A.F.T.A.-D.R. and the NW, Part one

As the debate over the Central American Free Trade Agreement and its companion F.T.A. between the U.S. and the Dominican Republic picked up in the halls of Congress this week, more Northwest ag, retail, and trade interests becoming more aware of the debate have been asking "How will this trade deal really benefit us?" Maybe the best indicator the Northwest can have on C.A.F.T.A.-D.R.'s benefits or lack thereof is by studying how the national commodity organizations are reacting to the deal. Proponents of C.A.F.T.A.-D.R. want to share how it will benefit specific commodities, and not just with rallies and speeches as they have done this week. They are also adding numbers, thanks to a report issued by the National Pork Producers Council for the pro  C.A.F.T.A.-D.R. forces. SPANGLER: We have a study targeting forty critical districts so that the members there can see in black and white what the benefits are to the different commodities. You have a couple in your area. You have a couple of targets in Oregon and Washington State to just put it in dollars and cents what it means to American agriculture to pass C.A.F.T.A. Actually, Barbara Spangler of the Wheat Export Trade Education Committee says two Congressional Districts each in Oregon and Washington are among the forty plus highlighted in the study. But beyond that, she says her faith in C.A.F.T.A.-D.R. as beneficial to the wheat industry stems from real world experience. SPANGLER: C.A.F.T.A. is one that the wheat industry is a perfect poster child for, because we already have a very high percentage of that market as our customer. I think it's well over seventy per cent in that region. And we're in at almost zero tariffs. So people say, "Why do you need an agreement?" Well, that is at the good will of the member countries that we have zero tariffs and that we are customers, and our good product. They have W.T.O. commitments of down tariff levels which they could impose that range from thirty some to over one hundred per cent, which would be very, very difficult for us, if we didn't pass this agreement and they decided they didn't think we were very good customers so they're going to put the tariffs on. But it is not just Northwest wheat that could be a big winner. Spangler also notes a commodity group that usually doesn't vocally push hard on trade deals & the fruit and vegetable industry& is making their voice heard. And in this case, the U.S. apple industry is showing unprecedented support for this particular trade deal. The why for the support is discussed in our next program.