Next week in Seattle, this Administration will continue our aggressive efforts to level the playing field for our farmers. While the Seattle meeting is only a start to the negotiations, I am confident that it will be an important step toward the expansion of free and fair agricultural trade around the globe. The importance of trade for America's farmers and ranchers cannot be overstated.
Agriculture is more than twice as dependent on exports as the overall economy.
More open trade means more opportunities for our farmers to sell their products overseas and to prosper in the new millennium. Our farmers, the most productive in the world, compete and win when assured a level playing field.