[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 37, Number 25 (Monday, June 25, 2001)]
[Pages 935-937]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks to Agricultural Leaders

June 18, 2001

    Well, thank you very much. It's nice to be home. [Laughter] And 
welcome to the people's home. As I'm sure you can imagine, it is an 
unimaginable honor to live here, and it was an unimaginable honor to 
represent our Nation overseas.
    We had a really good trip, and I'm sure Ambassador Zoellick will 
brief you on the trip after I say a few words. But let me just say to 
you that--well, first, let me thank Ann Veneman for the job she's doing. 
I knew when I picked her, I picked a really smart, capable leader. And 
she has fulfilled all expectations. She's going to do a great job as 
representing an incredibly important part of our Nation's economy and 
our Nation's culture. So, Madam Secretary, thank you very much for your 
leadership. Zoellick, thank you, sir, for your leadership, as well.
    I told people when I--that should I become the President, we would 
never use agriculture as a throwaway, as just a bargaining tool. And 
when I interviewed my friend Bob Zoellick, who I've known for a while, I 
said, ``I want you to understand, the cornerstone of good trade policy 
is good ag policy. And we're not going to leave our farmers and ranchers 
behind when it comes to international agreements. ''
    And I think you're going to find when he talks to you and when you 
question him, he's going to hold true to that philosophy. And I'm proud 
of his work. He's tough and he's steady, and I've got a pretty good look 
at who he's negotiating against--[laughter]--but he's going to do a fine 
job for all of America, including the agricultural sector.
    I'm honored that Members of the United States Senate are here, and 
Members of the House of Representatives are here. Mr. Chairman--well, 
Mr. Ex-Chairman. [Laughter] Thank you all for coming. [Laughter]
    We're going to discuss here an incredibly important issue, and that 
is, how do we make sure American agriculture thrives and survives and 
grows stronger over time? It starts with understanding a couple of 
things. One, that we needed tax relief so that those farmers and 
ranchers who are actually in the black can keep more of what they make. 
And thanks to Members here, we got good tax relief.
    And by the way, we also eliminated the death tax, which is 
incredibly important to American agriculture. And I want to thank you 
all on the stage here for--as well as your Members, for working hard to 
make the case that getting rid of the death tax is only fair, and that 
for those who worry about urban sprawl and issues such as that, that 
getting rid of the death tax is going to allow the family farm or the 
family ranch to pass from one generation to the next. And so it's a good 
piece of legislation, and many of you all helped make the case. And for 
that, all of us are grateful.
    I also said in the campaign I'd work for value-added processing, 
that I wanted to make sure that the products we grew at home here had 
received enhanced value because of U.S. processing. And part of our 
energy plan, as you learned recently, includes ethanol. And that's an 
important part of an agriculture and an energy and an environmental mix 
that I think is best for the United States of America.
    And finally, trade. And it's incredibly important for our Americans 
to understand how important trade is. The agricultural sector 
understands that. Twenty-five percent of farm receipts are generated by 
exports. One-quarter of all the revenues coming into the farm economy 
are generated as a result of a farmer in America or a rancher in America 
selling that product overseas. And that's as it should be. Our farmers 
and ranchers are the most efficient producers in the world. This is an 
area where our country has a competitive advantage. We're really good at 
it. And the job of this administration must be to open up more markets 
for ag products.
    I used to tell people in the course of the campaign, I want America 
to feed the world. I want our great Nation that's a land of great, 
efficient producers to make sure people don't go hungry. And it starts 
with having an administration committed to knocking down barriers to 
trade, and we are.
    And you're about to hear from the Trade Representative, Ambassador 
Zoellick, who will describe to you a couple of things: one, that we want 
a new round of WTO discussions started with ag at its core, and it will

[[Page 936]]

be. I know there are some concerns about NAFTA in the country, but if 
people look at the statistics, farm exports to Mexico have doubled, 
nearly doubled, since NAFTA. That's important. I do believe we ought to 
expand the free trade of the Americas. I want this whole hemisphere 
trading in freedom, and I think it makes sense for our farmers and 
ranchers to do so.
    In order for me to be as effective as I can be--and by the way, we 
understand this, too, and this is important for people to understand 
that our farmers face incredible barriers to trade. And let me just give 
you a few statistics. The EU's tariffs for over-quota beef is between 91 
percent and 177 percent. Japan's tariff for over-quota wheat is between 
242 percent and 256 percent. Canada's tariff on over-quota butter is 
between 299 percent and 314 percent. Not only do America's farmers and 
ranchers face overt tariffs, there's hidden barriers, as well, such as 
unscientific thought about the products we grow. One of the things 
Ambassador Zoellick and I talked about is making decisions based upon 
sound science, and not using science as a--or false science as a way to 
block entry for U.S. products.
    And Zoellick also came back with some pretty good news from China. I 
don't know if you have all been following his negotiations there, but 
we're beginning to get our bilateral agreement with China made. And he 
can give you the details. But the agreement with China will end export 
subsidies and, we anticipate, boost U.S. agricultural exports to China 
by $2 billion a year. He sat down and rolled up his sleeves and kept in 
mind what I asked him to do. And he delivered a good agreement.
    But there's more to do, and he told the Chinese that our bilateral 
agreements--that compliance, an early test of their willing to trade, 
will depend upon bilateral agreements on citrus and wheat, meat. And so 
we're just making--we're beginning to open up that big market. And I 
think the Ambassador deserves a lot of credit. But don't give him any 
until he describes exactly what he did to you. [Laughter]
    But what I really want to do is to urge you all to help us get a 
trade promotion authority bill out of the Congress. I realized how 
important that was when I went overseas. I realized how important it was 
when I was at the Summit of the Americas. We've got countries in our 
hemisphere saying, ``Will you trade with us?'' And I say,``You bet.'' 
It's a free-trading administration, so long as everything is level and 
fair. And they say,``But how can we know you can trade with us when we 
negotiate a deal and you don't have the authority to strike it without 
having to submit the bills to every single amendment there could be up 
on the Hill?''
    You see, they recognize that other Presidents used to have trade 
promotion authority. And now I don't. And we're missing some great 
opportunities, not only in our hemisphere but around the world. These 
are opportunities for people who earn a living the hard way. These are 
hard--these are opportunities for hard-working ranchers and farmers. 
These are opportunities for working people.
    I believe the more we trade overseas, the more prosperity there is 
at home. And I urge the Congress--and I know the Members here understand 
this--to pass trade promotion authority so this administration can open 
up markets all around the world. This is an important piece of 
legislation. This legislation is one of my top priorities because it's--
a top priority of mine is the health of the agriculture sector in 
America.
    You know, my wife just took off for Crawford, Texas, today. When we 
go there, people are wondering whether or not they can make a living off 
the land. And they're more likely to be able to do so with more markets 
open.
    And I mean a trade promotion authority bill, too, that's not laden 
down with all kinds of excuses not to trade. I want a bill that doesn't 
have these codicils on it that frighten people from trading with us. I 
like to remind people that if you're a poor nation, it's going to be 
hard to treat your people well. And if you're a poor nation, it's going 
to be hard to have good environmental policy. And trade is the best way 
to eliminate poverty. Therefore, our trade agreements ought to be free 
from codicils which prevent us from freely trading.

[[Page 937]]

    And so I want to thank you for coming to the White House to give me 
an opportunity to urge you to work with these five Senators and three 
Congressmen, to work hard to get this trade promotion authority moving.
    The power to be--well, most of the power that be--sits right here. 
And these Members can use your help, as can we. This call to arms for 
trade promotion authority is not a hollow call. This is important. It's 
not only important for this President; it's important for future 
Presidents, because the world is a fantastic opportunity for us. And 
it's an opportunity we have got to seize if we expect to have prosperity 
in one of the most vital sectors in our Nation, and that's prosperity on 
our farms and ranches, a place not only where people will hopefully be 
able to make a good living, but a place where people nurture the great 
values of America: faith and family.
    It's my honor to be here, to have you here. Thanks for coming. I 
appreciate so very much your giving us a chance to call you into action. 
I'm honored to be up here with your leaders, and I do want to thank the 
Members of the Senate and the House for being here, as well.
    God bless America.

Note: The President spoke at 2:28 p.m. in the East Room at the White 
House.