Political Quotes

“But the problem is for American agriculture that we have to compete worldwide. U.S. agriculture exported exports in excess of $55 billion in 1998, resulting in a trade surplus of $25 billion which generated over $100 billion in related economic activity. One thing that helps us achieve this laudable goal is MAP, the Market Access Program. I just returned from the ministerial meeting of the WTO in Geneva, and I can tell my colleagues, we have problems with the EU, the European Union, who heavily subsidizes their exports. And probably our biggest trade problem in agriculture is with the European Economic Union. The one thing that they really recognize and are concerned about is our program like MAP, something that helps us get the attention of customers around the world for agricultural products. If we eliminate it at this time, it is like disarming while your adversaries continue to arm. This is minuscule compared to what is spent by the European Community to promote their exports. We need to keep this program until the European Community, until the negotiators of the World Trade Organization can bring other countries to the table and eliminate their subsidies. I suggest that this is a good no vote for agriculture.”