II

103D CONGRESS

2D SESSION S. 2169

To require the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a study of cooperative

marketing of United States and Canadian grain for export, and for

other purposes.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

JUNE 9 (legislative day, JUNE 7), 1994

Mr. DORGAN (for himself, Mr. DASCHLE, Mr. CAMPBELL, Mr. DURENBERGER, and Mr. CONRAD) introduced the following bill; which was read

twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

A BILL

To require the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a study

of cooperative marketing of United States and Canadian

grain for export, and for other purposes.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. STUDY OF COOPERATIVE MARKETING OF UNIT4 ED STATES AND CANADIAN GRAIN.

5 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that—

6 (1) the United States-Canada Free Trade

7 Agreement forced the creation of a single North

8 American grain market without adjustments to har-
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•S 2169 IS

1 monize the marketing system and relative Federal

2 commodity programs of the 2 nations;

3 (2) trade conflicts between the United States

4 and Canada over grain trade have arisen, and con5 tinue to escalate since the negotiation of the Agree6 ment;

7 (3) better harmony between the United States

8 and Canadian grain marketing system is needed;

9 (4) Canadian producers have cooperatively mar10 keted their grain for 50 years, and have an estab11 lished collective marketing system;

12 (5) United States producers should have the op13 portunity to market their grain cooperatively when

14 the producers find it in their best interest; and

15 (6) it is in the interest of harmonious trade

16 with Canada, and in the possible economic interests

17 of United States grain producers, to investigate the

18 advantages and disadvantages of marketing grain in

19 a cooperative exporting venture with Canada, and

20 for the United States to discuss such a venture with

21 Canada.

22 (b) STUDY.—The Secretary of Agriculture shall con23 duct a study of cooperative marketing of United States

24 and Canadian grain for export. The study shall—
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1 (1) evaluate the desirability and feasibility of

2 the United States entering into negotiations with

3 Canada to establish a cooperative venture to conduct

4 the marketing;

5 (2) evaluate, as alternative marketing ventures,

6 the collective export marketing of durum wheat, bar7 ley, all wheat, or all wheat and barley;

8 (3) describe and evaluate the structures of col9 lective grain export marketing ventures that are

10 most economically advantageous to United States

11 grain producers;

12 (4) describe the changes in United States and

13 Canadian law that may be necessary to proceed with

14 each of the marketing ventures that are described in

15 paragraphs (2) and (3), including changes in United

16 States law necessary to authorize the Secretary to

17 issue and amend marketing orders under section 8c

18 of the Agricultural Adjustment Act (7 U.S.C. 608c),

19 reenacted with amendments by the Agricultural

20 Marketing Agreement Act of 1937, to facilitate the

21 collective marketing of grains; and

22 (5) evaluate the likely effects of each venture on

23 United States commodity programs for grain and

24 recommend necessary and appropriate changes in

25 the programs that would be—
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1 (A) most beneficial and profitable for grain

2 producers;

3 (B) least costly to the Federal Govern4 ment; and

5 (C) most harmonious with the marketing

6 system and commodity programs of Canada.

7 (c) REPORT.—The Secretary shall report the results

8 of the study to Congress not later than August 15, 1995.

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