"The U.S. Grains Council appreciates the efforts of the leadership of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) during this week's World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference to defend U.S. agricultural and food interests against attempts to weaken rules on domestic support for agriculture.
"In particular, the efforts to provide loopholes on domestic price support programs associated with public stockholding programs for food security purposes pose significant trade distortions. Without resolving the trade-distorting impacts of these policies, it is impossible to support addressing reforms in overall domestic supports.
"The Council strongly supports trade liberalization to help global agriculture collectively address challenges of food security and eradication of poverty by 2050. We can only accomplish those goals if we have an international trade forum to establish disciplines on market access, trade distorting policies and non-tariff barriers.
"The Council encourages all members of the WTO to use the results of the Ministerial this week to reflect on how we can collectively approach these issues in a new way that will bridge the existing differences.
“We only have 22 chances between now and 2050 to produce bountiful harvests in a safe and sustainable manner and meet the imperative of global food security. Establishing the right trade architecture now is critical to our mutual success."
