[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 142 (Tuesday, October 21, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10901-S10902]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              THE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS MARKET ACCESS ACT

 Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, I would like to add my name as a 
cosponsor to S. 219, the Agricultural Products Market Access Act of 
1997 and to commend Senators Grassley and Daschle for their excellent 
work on behalf of American agricultural exports.
  S. 219 will set up a system for agricultural trade identical to that 
used to identify violations of intellectual property rights--the 
``Special 301'' procedure. Specifically, the bill requires the Office 
of the U.S. Trade Representative to annually designate as priority 
countries those trading partners having the most egregious trade 
barriers to U.S. agricultural products. USTR would then initiate a 
streamlined 301 investigation of the trade practices of those countries 
identified to determine whether their agricultural trade barriers merit 
sanctions or other retaliatory actions.
  As many of my colleagues know, my home State of Washington is a major 
producer and exporter of agricultural products. In fact, agriculture is 
Washington's No. 1 industry employing well over 100,000 people directly 
and accounting for 20 percent of the State's total exports. I and my 
constituents, however, are continually frustrated by the unfair and 
irrational barriers erected to our agricultural exports in countries 
throughout the world.

[[Page S10902]]

  The most recent example is Mexico's imposition of a 101.1-percent 
prohibitive duty on red delicious and golden delicious apples. This 
tariff hike is based on claims by Mexican apple farmers that United 
States producers are selling apples to Mexico at half the fair price. 
There is no factual basis for these claims, yet Mexico has successfully 
closed the United States-Mexico border to apples and cut Washington 
apple producers off from their largest export market. The 
administration has pledged to work to resolve this impasse, but the 
process is likely to be long and hard fought with no guarantee of a 
solution through the NAFTA or WTO dispute resolution process.
  Japan too has continually used protectionist measures to lock 
Washington apples out of its domestic market. On questionable 
phytosanitary grounds, Japan has erected barrier after barrier to 
Washington apples. Under the current protocol for the export of apples 
to Japan, only red delicious and golden delicious varieties may be 
shipped to Japan. Since the Japanese market was first opened to United 
States apples in 1994, Japan has required the cold treatment and 
fumigation of all United States apples. While scientific data supports 
the United States contention that this type of treatment is 
unnecessary, Japan insists on subjecting all additional United States 
apple varieties to the same costly and time-consuming tests.
  Washington's wheat exports also face formidable export barriers. 
Since 1972, the People's Republic of China has maintained a nontariff 
barrier on Pacific Northwest wheat affected by TCK smut. Over the past 
20 years, the United States has presented Chinese officials with 
scientific evidence that conclusively shows there is no risk of 
introducing this smut into China, but the Chinese Government refuses to 
budge. The continued ban on our wheat only adds to our large and 
growing trade deficit with China which has already reached $40 billion.
  These are just a few of the most egregious examples of the seemingly 
endless obstacles to Washington's agricultural exports. The time has 
come for the U.S. Trade Representative to take quick and decisive 
action against all nations that engage in unfair trade practices to 
lock out U.S. agricultural exports. S. 219 will give the administration 
the tools it needs to do just that. If this legislation can accomplish 
even half of what the ``Special 301'' process has done to protect U.S. 
intellectual property, we will be well on our way to a freer, fairer 
system of international trade in agriculture.
  Mr. President, Washington, and every State in the Nation engaged in 
agricultural trade will gain if this legislation is signed into law. I 
commend my colleagues Senators Grassley and Daschle for their insight 
and hard work in devising this intelligent solution to a difficult and 
pressing problem and am proud to join them as a cosponsor of S. 
219.

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