06/29/05  Wheat Growers urge CAFTA approval

06/29/05 Wheat Growers urge CAFTA approval

Washington Ag June 29, 2005 Congress is beginning work on the Central American and Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement and the Washington Association of Wheat Growers is urging lawmakers to approve the trade pact as is. Wheat Growers Director of Issues Gretchen Borck says producers here are heavily dependent on foreign trade and existing WTO rules permit tariffs as high as 112 percent on common wheat and 135 percent on wheat flour. Borck: "But why we are supporting CAFTA is that once that agreement is passed, those tariffs on wheat are immediately locked at zero for all six countries that come under CAFTA, and that this will be a benefit to us to make the playing field level and be able to get our wheat into Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua and of course the Dominican Republic." The Wheat Growers say signing the agreement would ensure the opportunity to maintain leadership in a growing market in which the U.S. has an 85 percent market share. Of the two major wheat growing congressional districts, Borck says Doc Hastings has announced support for CAFTA, while Cathy McMorris has not yet declared her position. Borck says wheat growers were disappointed that Ric Larsen, who sits on the House Ag Committee came out against CAFTA. Brian Baird, whose district wheat exports move through, is also opposed. I'm Bob Hoff.
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