Localized, specialized agreements are being formalized seemingly every day. But the U.S. is not party to most of these new sweetheart deals. There are more than 30 bilateral and regional trade agreements operating in this hemisphere. While our government looks to the creation of a Free Trade Area of the Americas by 2005, Europe is in our back yard, signing trade pact after trade pact with our trading partners in South America. We need to get active in the trade agreement area.
Some farmers feel betrayed by existing trade regulations and agreements.
There are problems, definitely. But they won't go away by themselves. Only new trade agreements will close the previous loopholes and address current challenges. Our government must be permitted the tools to do that and continue to negotiate toward the goal of fairer, freer trade. Farm Bureau thought and rethought the issue.