> ![](media/image1.wmf)

![](media/image2.jpeg){width="2.0729166666666665in" height="1.28125in"}

Published by Mark A. Weaver, Director, US Commercial Service, Monterey
Bay Export Assistance Center, co-located at The Monterey Institute of
International Studies, Monterey, CA, tel: 831-641-9850, email:
<mark.weaver@mail.doc.gov>. Edited by Edward J. Brzytwa III, Trade
Assistant

#  THE NEW MILLENNIUM TRADER, April 2002, Edition 2

##### Providing Quality Export Assistance to Central Coast Firms

The Commercial Service of the U.S. Department of Commerce is committed
to assisting U.S. firms in realizing their export potential by providing
expert counseling, information on foreign markets, international
contacts, and advocacy services. Around the world, 1,500 officers of the
Commercial Service in 300 of our embassies, consulates, commercial
centers and domestic offices promote and protect U.S. business interests
abroad.

Secretary Veneman and Ambassador Zoellick Announce Formation of
U.S.-Mexico Consultative Committee on Agriculture

Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman and U.S. Trade Representative
Robert B. Zoellick on April 3rd announced that the United States and
Mexico signed a Memorandum of Understanding establishing a Consultative
Committee on Agriculture to strengthen cooperation on agricultural trade
issues. Ambassador Zoellick noted that, "Mexico is now the United
States' third largest export market for good and agricultural goods.
Today's agreement is an important step reaffirming this vital trade
relationship. The agreement underlines the close and important
agriculture trade relationship between our two countries." The United
States has a positive trade balance with Mexico in food and agricultural
products. Sales of these goods to Mexico reached \$6.41 billion in 2001,
an increase of nearly 58% since the implementation of the NAFTA in 1994.
Record levels of exports to Mexico include red meats, processed fruits
and vegetables, poultry meat, snack foods, fresh fruits, feeds and
fodder, and rice. This broad cross section of commodities indicates that
the benefits of the NAFTA are widely distributed across U.S.
agriculture. The purview of the Consultative Committee, which is
co-chaired by USDA and USTR and the Mexico ministers of agriculture and
economic development, encompasses such critical trade issues as market
access, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, and information exchange in
areas such as biotechnology and animal and plant health.

What Does China's Entry Into the WTO Mean for US Exporters?

> At the west coast conference of the American Association of Exporters
> & Importers (AAEI; [www.aaei.org](http://www.aaei.org/)), held in Los
> Angeles, fully half the export-related programs were devoted to
> China's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and its
> implications. Hands-on practical workshops like What China's Entry
> into the WTO Means for U.S. Exporters, Finding Customers in China,
> Chinese Customs Requirements and Practices, and Chinese Business
> Culture: Rules for Doing Business in China gave attending export pros
> a wealth of valuable information and ideas on how to penetrate this
> growing -- and now more accessible -- market. The significant
> attention paid to China by AAEI is not surprising. In 2000 China was
> the United States' fourth largest trading partner and 10^th^ largest
> destination for U.S. exports. China is also among the fastest growing
> export destinations for U.S. goods and services up 20% for the first
> nine months of 2001 -- before China's WTO admission. U.S. exports to
> China have doubled since 1990, reaching \$16.2 billion in 2000 and
> projected to hit \$19 billion for 2001. This is clearly a market U.S.
> exporters cannot afford to miss.

# U.S. Losing \$1.2 billion annually in potential agricultural exports to Cuba

> A study, by C. Parr Rosson, professor of agricultural economics at
> Texas A&M University, and Flynn Adcock, conducted for the Cuba Policy
> Foundation, estimates that U.S. agricultural products firms are losing
> over \$1.2 billion a year due to the economic blockade of Cuba. In
> response to the study, two former U.S. secretaries of agriculture have
> called on President Bush to end to the embargo. Former secretaries
> John Block and Dan Glickman, a Republican and Democrat respectively,
> wrote President Bush that the U.S. policy is hurting U.S. farmers. The
> Cuba Policy Foundation is a nonpartisan organization led by senior
> diplomats from past Republican administrations. The study estimates
> that in addition to the \$1.2 billion in agricultural exports, \$3.6
> billion more in related economic output could be realized if the
> embargo were not in place. The Trade Sanctions Reform and Export
> Enhancement Act of 2000 authorizes licenses for the transport of
> agricultural commodities, medicine, medical devices or other products
> directly from the U.S. to Cuba. However, financing mechanisms for
> shipments remain a major obstacle.
>
> **[54 Senators Urge Removal of Agriculture Market Access Barriers in
> U.S. Chile FTA]{.underline}**
>
> A majority of the U.S. Senate express their concern about several
> non-tariff barriers to U.S. agricultural exports maintained by the
> Government of Chile in a March 22^nd^ letter to the United States
> Trade Representative, Ambassador Robert Zoellick. The Senators believe
> that the full benefits of a U.S.- Chile FTA will only be realized if
> these barriers are eliminated, and that such elimination should be a
> top priority for the Administration during the negotiations with
> Chile. Their concerns are that, Chile operates a price band system
> which restricts the importation of U.S. wheat, wheat flour, sugar and
> vegetable oils; Chile maintains a de facto ban on U.S. exports of
> poultry, beef, and Northwest salmon eggs; and that Chile does not yet
> recognize the U.S. meat, poultry, and dairy inspection system, and
> therefore does not allow access for all federally certified U.S.
> plants to ship product to the Chilean market.
>
> **[Ambassador Zoellick praises Colombia for its Leadership in
> Advancing the FTAA]{.underline}**
>
> In a March 13^th^ speech given to the Conference on Productivity and
> Competitiveness, Ambassador Robert Zoellick lauded Columbia's
> proactive leadership in the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas
> (FTAA) negotiations and reaffirmed the United States' commitment to
> strengthening the trade relationship between the two nations and with
> all of Latin America. Once completed the FTAA will be the largest free
> trade zone in the world, encompassing 800 million people with a
> combined gross domestic product of more than \$10 trillion. The
> Ambassador also promised Columbia that the Bush Administration would
> press Congress to renew and expand the Andean Trade Preferences Act
> (ATPA) as soon as possible. He stated that the ATPA has helped to
> provide economic alternatives to the narcotics trade in the region,
> supporting the creation of 140,000 new jobs from 1992 to 1999, while
> promoting development and democracy.

IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO RECEIVE THIS PLEASE EMAIL BACK RESPONSE\< PLEASE
UNSUBSCRIBE!