05/06/05 Staking positions on CAFTA

Washington Ag May 6, 2005 Washington Congressman Doc Hastings has formally announced his support for the Central American Free Trade Agreement or CAFTA. In a statement the Republican Representative says the agreement is an important step toward leveling the playing field for Central Washington farmers and tree fruit growers. Hastings says the agreement includes a provision he worked for that would grant Washington's apple, pear and cherry growers immediate duty-free access to Central American markets. He also says it will help potato growers compete fairly against Canadian exports in the region. Meanwhile, two Democratic members of Washington's congressional delegation have announced they cannot support CAFTA. They are Rick Larson and Adam Smith. Larsen says that while he supports free trade the Bush administration has ignored the rest of the economic policy wheel slashing funding for programs that invest in U.S. workers and our ability to create internationally competitive products and technology. When might we see a vote in Congress on the Central American-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement? Here's what House Ag Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte told farmbroadcasters meeting in Washington D.C. this week. Goodlatte: "We'll have a vote on CAFTA when we have the votes for CAFTA." Goodlatte said that while there is opposition within agriculture to CAFTA, it has strong support from the vast majority of commercial agricultural exporting interests and he sees support for the trade pact growing. I'm Bob Hoff.