OCTOBER 2004


'A Voice In Washington'

As Chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture, Congressman Bob Goodlatte (VA) oversees virtually all aspects of American agriculture. He represents Virginia's 6th District, including the rich agricultural region of the Shenandoah Valley.

Rich Christman, CNH President of North American Agricultural Operations, interviewed Chairman Goodlatte on current issues facing the House Agricultural Committee.

Virginia Congressman Bob Goodlatte, Chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture.

 

Rich Christman: Chairman Goodlatte, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to meet with us. In your opinion, how should the U.S. Government best serve American farmers and ranchers?

Chairman Bob Goodlatte: Rich, it's a pleasure to meet with you today. From my perspective as Chairman, the House Committee on Agriculture gives American agriculture a voice in Washington. The work of the Agriculture Committee affects the lives of every American. Just in the last session of Congress we addressed a wide number of issues ranging from bioterrorism and homeland security to food stamps and welfare reform, from conservation and nutrition to forest management, trade and rural development. Perhaps the most important work of the Agriculture Committee consists of maintaining policies that assure a safe, abundant and affordable food supply.

Christman: Mr. Chairman, do you feel the current farm bill is meeting the needs of America's farmers?

Chairman Goodlatte: The farm bill took a balanced approach in addressing a wide array of issues such as conservation, crops, nutrition, trade and rural development, while allowing for flexibility and predictability for producers, thereby maintaining a stable farm economy.

We are mid-way through this Farm Bill and the Committee has already held numerous hearings to review the implementation, during which we have heard encouraging testimony from various Administration officials, farmers and ranchers. The consensus seems to be that the Farm Bill is working as it was intended.

Christman: What is the future for legislation promoting agriculture as a solution to alternative fuels, like ethanol and biodiesel?

Chairman Goodlatte: Actually, earlier this year the House passed comprehensive National Energy legislation which did just that ‚ unfortunately this legislation is still pending consideration in the Senate.

The legislation includes provisions crucial to the agriculture sector including the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and renewable energy tax provisions.

Additionally, the legislation extends the production tax credit for alternative fuels to producers of electricity from wind, biomass (including livestock waste nutrients), and methane derived from farm wastes.

I am hopeful that the Senate will soon take it up, as it is good for American agriculture and for our rural communities as a whole.

Christman: Mr. Chairman, many of our customers are concerned about recent international developments in agriculture, such as Brazil's WTO case regarding cotton. How, if at all, does the U.S. agricultural economy need to adapt into the future, in light of recent international developments?

Chairman Goodlatte: Frankly, this is an issue that we will be wrestling with for a long time to come. Under the WTO rules, countries are permitted to support their farmers in ways that are the least trade distorting. The U.S. will continue to abide by WTO rules on agriculture.

World trade in agriculture is highly competitive and barriers, such as high tariffs, are rampant. Countries regularly deny access for U.S. agricultural products for many reasons, including non-scientific barriers for U.S. beef, grains and fruits and vegetables.

We have said repeatedly that the WTO negotiations are the appropriate forum for addressing changes to countries' agricultural policies. The most important objective of the ongoing WTO negotiations is increased access for U.S. agricultural products.

Christman: With all the new developments on the international trade arena, are U.S. farmers playing on an even playing field? If not, what recourses exist to correct the situation?

Chairman Goodlatte: U.S. agriculture depends on exports and a vibrant trade policy is important to U.S. farmers and ranchers and to all of agri-business. We want to seek greater opportunity for our agricultural products and trade negotiations can make that possible. We want to see markets open around the world.

U.S. agricultural markets are already open to imports and our tariffs are low-agricultural tariffs worldwide average about 62%, while U.S. agricultural tariffs are 12%. It is to the advantage of U.S. agriculture that we continue to open markets and remove barriers to our agriculture exports.

A look at the status quo makes it clear that the playing field is not yet even. The EU is allowed to spend more than three times as much as the U.S. in domestic agricultural payments. Japan is allowed to spend one and one-half times the amount the U.S. is allowed to spend under the Uruguay Round Agreement.

American farmers and ranchers recognize the necessity of exports for their success. The Committee has closely followed all trade negotiations and listened to U.S. agriculture's views on these important matters. We will continue to follow these issues.

Christman: Mr. Chairman, from a Congressional perspective, what are the key issues facing the U.S. Department of Agriculture in the near future?

Chairman Goodlatte: That's a good question. Just recently the Committee held two hearings dealing with issues that are key to the broader Ag Community and USDA specifically.

One of the hearings addressed the Department of Agriculture's expanded Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) cattle surveillance program. With the discovery of the first BSE positive cow in Canada last year, the House Agricultural Committee has exercised rigorous oversight of USDA's BSE surveillance programs. This "snapshot" will create a baseline from which prevalence of BSE can be determined and will contribute to the policy process of determining appropriate BSE defenses.

The second hearing reviewed USDA's implementation of a National Animal Identification System (NAIS). The BSE case in Washington State in December of 2003 accelerated efforts to develop an animal ID program. On April 27, Secretary Veneman announced the transfer of $18.8 million for USDA's Commodity Credit Corporation to provide initial funding needed to begin development of NAIS. USDA is holding listening sessions around the country as we continue to move forward in this process.

In addition to BSE, I know that USDA is watching closely the potential for the introduction of soybean rust into the U.S. Since its identification in South America, there are major efforts in place for surveillance, detection, and diagnosis of soybean rust by USDA-APHIS, working with the Cooperative State Education and Extension Service Regional Plant Disease Diagnostic Centers.

Christman: Finally, might you share with our customers and dealers the most effective ways for their voices to be heard in Washington?

Chairman Goodlatte: Public policy is not something that just happens to you, like the weather, it's a product of a process that needs your participation. Individual farmers and ranchers can contact their local Representatives through a variety of means to make sure they are aware of their position on any given issue.

In addition, there are a number of organizations here in Washington that represent various agricultural organizations. Obviously, each individual farmer or rancher can't come to Washington and make their case to the House, the Senate, and the Administration ‚ they have farming operations to run.

However, organizations like the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, the National Corn Grower's Association, and the American Farm Bureau Federation play a critical part in the process...and are particularly valuable when they have active membership and are therefore better able to represent their views.

Christman: Mr. Chairman, thank you for spending time with us today. On behalf of all of our customers and dealers, thank you for all you do for American agriculture.