08/31/05 Idahoan watching trade negotiations

Mark Dunn is the Vice President of Government Affairs for the Simplot Company. Dunn was also just reappointed to one of six advisory committees that gives USDA and the US Trade Representative input on various trade issues. DUNN "With regard to what impact various tariff levels for example would have on the various ag commodities." Dunn's committee is involved with the processed food trade. One area that he'd like to see changed is the way Idaho and US French fries are exported into foreign markets. DUNN "Many tariffs are placed on frozen French fries as a revenue source in those countries." Dunn is keeping an eye on the December meeting of the WTO, the World Trade Organization. DUNN "There's been a lot of background work done trying to get them restarted and hopefully productive. That remains to be seen. We'll know a lot more about that in December." Mark Dunn is the first person in the Pacific Northwest appointed to this ATAC, the Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee on processed food but he says he tries to look out for agriculture, particularly as it relates to Idaho and the Northwest. Voice of Idaho Agriculture Bill Scott