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While recognizing that food will always be used as a foreign policy tool, any attempt to use 

 food or fiber to cause political change must be done in such a way as to create a positive effect 

 on agricultural trade. Food should be used to gain political favor not to punish a political 

 system. 



• All offshore political and USAID-type funded development programs must have a USDA 

 component, to review programs for potential inclusion of agricultural programs or 

 products, (i.e., any infrastructural, product or equipment components of foreign 

 development for food processing or production related programs must be able to process 

 and utilize U.S. agriculture products or equipment.) 



• Agencies affected by these restrictions include USAID, the armed and uniformed 

 services, the Department of Commerce, USDA, and any other federally funded 

 assistance program. 



• The Secretary of Agriculture must work more closely with industry and fully utilize all 

 available dispute resolution mechanisms, in a timely manner, to resolve trade disputes 

 between the U.S. and Canada and Mexico or any other foreign entity. 



• The Secretary should form an agency/industry task force to review Canadian and 

 Mexican trade disputes. This task force shall include representation from the National 

 Association of State Departments of Agriculture. The task force will use the 

 communication mechanisms afforded through the States-Provinces Agricultural Accord 

 as a first approach to dispute settlement. 



USTR must have a USDA export market presence in all programs. It must recognize that the 

 world does have money to buy our products and the first priority is always in upgrading the 

 people's diets (outside of military conflict). 



USDA must have an Agricultural Liaison in the departments of Commerce, State, Interior, 

 Treasury, GAO, the White House. 



The Secretary of Agriculture must establish an interagency working group, that includes the 

 production and processing industries, to focus on export market development. Export trade 

 development must have the same level of focus at USDA as environmental issues. The 

 interagency working group would be directed to develop a world wide strategic plan for finding, 

 financing and matching products to market needs. 



WHAT HAPPENS IF WE ARE ABLE TO DEVELOP A LONG TERM STRATEGY THAT ADDRESSES 

 THESE CONCERNS? 



AMERICAN AGRICULTURE WILL MAINTAIN AND INCREASE ITS ROLE IN INTERNATIONAL 

 MARKETING OF FOOD AND FIBER 



The American farmer will remain viable. 



The American public will be assured the continuation of a reasonably priced food supply. 



World market demand will be more accurately and efficiently met by American producers 



There will be more and less expensive food available to feed the hungry. 



The increased level of value-added products that are exported will increase "growing and 

 processing" jobs in urban and rural areas. 



