2005 American Corn Growers Association Convention
The American Corn Growers Association met in Corpus Christi (Texas) last February for their 2005 Convention. On that occasion a number of decisions were taken, one of them concerns the WTO and is relevant to the Dakar process. Here is a complete copy of this decision:
World Trade Organization The ACGA believes that the WTO has not fulfilled the needs of agriculture as a whole. Since the inception of the WTO, ACGA has believed that this international institution has circumvented the rights of countries to develop and implement their own farm and food policy measures to the best interests of their society in general. Since that time ACGA has watched the WTO manage and dictate trade issues internationally that have been consistently detrimental to family farmers, consumers and the environment, not only in the U.S., but globally as well. These policies have in many cases reduced prices paid for farm commodities by disallowing price support and supply management policies and reducing the right of the U.S. to protect itself from price depressing agricultural imports. This resulting reduction in the economic wellbeing of Rural America has had a depressing effect on the rest of the economy as well.
Given this fact, ACGA supports the position that the United States shall remove agriculture from the WTO and redirect its trade agenda course to one that reflects the best interests of the population base. This redirection should be one that encourages the best interests of not only U.S. society but one that encourages a harmonious and viable family agriculture food production system around the world, with sustainability and fairness for all involved.
ACGA encourages all commodity groups and farm groups to call upon Congress and demand the United States withdraw from the WTO.