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ASA Presents Top Soybean Priorities to Senator Obama August 21, 2008... Saint Louis, Missouri... The American Soybean Association (ASA) has shared its views on key issues affecting U.S. soybean farmers with Senator Barack Obama in advance of the Democratic convention next week in Denver. These issues include international trade, farm policy, tax, energy and environmental policies. "The United States sells nearly one-half of its annual soybean crop abroad in the form of soybeans, soybean oil, soybean meal, and livestock products, said ASA President John Hoffman, a soybean producer from Waterloo, Iowa. "Accordingly, ASA has historically supported trade agreements as the best way to open global markets to exports of U.S. products. U.S. agricultural exports contributed nearly $90 billion to total U.S. exports in 2007, and soybeans and soy products accounted for more than $12 billion of those exports." Regarding Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), ASA strongly supports the Colombia, Panama, and South Korean FTAs that have been completed for Congressional consideration. Enactment of these FTAs will create new export opportunities for U.S. soybean producers, as well as U.S. livestock producers. ASA is concerned by statements about reopening the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). For U.S. soybean and livestock producers, NAFTA has been a tremendous success. "Mexico and Canada are our first and second largest markets for soybean meal," Hoffman said. "Mexico is also our second largest market for U.S. soybeans and soybean oil. Reopening or renegotiating these markets would erode the benefits U.S. producers and consumers are enjoying. This will result in lost sales and revenue that U.S. farmers cannot afford." ASA also supports renewal of Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) to enable the next Administration to continue to negotiate FTAs and regional trade agreements, which are all the more important in the absence of a multilateral agreement under the WTO. "We are prepared to see trade-distorting farm support programs reduced to enhance trade liberalization," Hoffman said. "However, importing nations with high tariffs on agricultural products, particularly developing countries, must take comparable steps to opening their markets to U.S. exports. In this regard, ASA was not satisfied with the status of the Doha trade negotiations at the time they were suspended earlier this month, and supports the United States’ refusal to accept an unbalanced outcome." On farm policy, ASA strongly supported enactment of the 2008 Farm Bill. ASA is working with other farm organizations and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to ensure that the Average Crop Revenue Election (ACRE) program offers the best farm income safety net possible as an alternative to the traditional farm program. "We know that farmers want to receive their income from the market, as they currently do," Hoffman said. "We also know that markets are cyclical, and that a responsible safety net is essential in times of low prices or low yields." The benefits of good policies for agriculture do not stop at the door of farm families, but support both rural and urban economies with the food and fiber industry creating 25 million jobs, producing $3.5 trillion in output, and accounting for 15 percent of U.S. Gross Domestic Product – larger than the construction, transportation, and utilities industries combined. ASA supports tax policies that will allow farms to be passed on the next generation of family farmers. These policies include exemptions from estate taxes of $5 million for each spouse, and accelerated depreciation of farm assets. "ASA also strongly supports tax policy that promotes the growth of renewable and biobased industries," Hoffman said. "Extension of the biodiesel tax incentive is essential in order to increase home-grown diesel fuel supplies and refining capacity. This is ASA’s top legislative priority during the remainder of the 110th Congress." Biofuels, such as ethanol from corn and biodiesel from soybeans, are making a contribution to the world’s fuel supply, which is holding gasoline and diesel prices lower at the pump for consumers and reducing dependence on imported petroleum. On environmental policy, ASA believes farmers have a strong interest in applying responsible conservation practices on their working lands. Farmers have responded well to voluntary, incentive-based approaches to conservation. "We do believe that, with the current strain on current production areas to meet food, feed and fuel needs, it is appropriate for those acres in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) that are not environmentally-sensitive to be returned to production as their contracts expire," Hoffman stated. On climate change issues, the United States must ensure that U.S. agriculture remains economically viable and that U.S. soybean producers can compete with foreign production. It is imperative that a voluntary, non-regulatory approach be maintained toward agriculture. In addition, increased fuel, natural gas, and fertilizer costs that could result from enactment of a cap and trade program could be significant. While there is great potential for agriculture to benefit under an offset allowance program, it is critical these gains not be negated by rising energy and input costs. "We very much hope that agriculture and other issues of importance to rural Americans plays a prominent role in the forthcoming national policy debate," Hoffman added. "ASA looks forward to participating in this process, and we offer our services as a resource during the Presidential campaign over the coming months." ASA is the policy advocate and collective voice of its 23,000 producer-members on domestic and international issues of importance to all U.S. soybean farmers. --30-- For more information contact: John Hoffman, ASA President, (319) 233-9480, jhoffman@neotek.net |
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