157 



American Horticultural Marketing Council, Inc. 



The council does not support the agreement. The impact on Florida's agricultural 

 sector will be devastating unless significant changes are made in the text or pro- 

 vided for in the implementing legislation. Some of the changes it considers nec- 

 essary are: More commodities must be given a tariff reduction period; price-based 

 safeguard for perishable commodities; the harmonization of standards must be re- 

 quired; strong enforcement of rules of origin; Mexico must be required to develop 

 complete statistical information on its agriculture sector; and Mexico must also be 

 required to enforce plant patent protection laws that the United States and Canada 

 already follow. 



American Meat Institute 



AMI is a longstanding supporter of the NAFTA and believes that it can only in- 

 crease the amount and value of trade with Mexico. There are, however, several po- 

 tential problems that should be addressed. The phase-out period for pork is longer 

 than for other products, and the safeguard mechanism cannot be allowed to evolve 

 into another trade barrier. The implementing legislation should include the same 

 displacement provisions that were used in the CFTA. Even though Mexico is a net 

 meat importer, the possible effects of displacement should not be ignored. Strict en- 

 forcement of the rules of origin standards are crucial. It also believes that the poul- 

 try industry has been asked to compromise more than any other U.S. industry, and 

 it will have to keep its exports level and possibly reduce them in the first year. 



American Oat Association 



Supports the NAFTA. The agreement will give raw oats and oat products better 

 access to the Mexican market. The association is concerned that transportation and 

 construction subsidies in Canada create an unfair advantage for Canadian oats en- 

 tering Mexico and the United States. 



American Plywood Association 



The agreement will provide increased market access in Mexico, and it is satisfied 

 with the negotiated agreement. 



American Sheep Industry Association 



ASI has a positive view of the NAFTA. Trade in live animals and meat will im- 

 prove as the 10-percent tariff is reduced over 10 years. It is important to protect 

 herd health through import licensing, S&P standards, border inspection ana strict 

 enforcement of rules of origin. There are potential problems with wool and textile 

 trade. Without a fiber forward provision, strict monitoring and enforcement of the 

 yarn forward provision are necessary to protect the U.S. wool and woolen textile in- 

 dustry. 



American Soybean Association and National Oilseed Processors Association 



ASA and NOPA strongly support the agreement. U.S. oilseed producers, proc- 

 essors and exporters will benefit from unrestricted access to the Mexican market 

 which has great potential for soybeans, protein meal and vegetable oil. The rules- 

 of-origin standards will protect the U.S. market from non-NAFTA countries, and 

 Mexican producers are not seen as a threat to the U.S. industry because Mexico 

 should remain a net importer. 



American Sugar Cane League, American Sugarbeet Growers Association, 

 Florida Sugar Cane League, Hawaiian Sugar Planters Association, Rio 

 Grande Valley Sugar Growers, Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida, 

 U.S. Beet Sugar Association, and U.S. Cane Sugar Refiners Association 



Will oppose the NAFTA unless the following concerns are met: strike the provi- 

 sion that gives Mexico unlimited access to the U.S. market after 6 years if it be- 

 comes a surplus producer in 2 consecutive years; expand the definition of surplus 

 producer to include consumption of corn sweeteners; make determination of surplus 

 producer on basis of verifiable history instead of projections; and expand the phase- 

 out period for Section 22 protection from 10 to 15 years. Although Mexico is a net 

 importer of sugar, NAFTA provides enormous incentive for Mexico to become a net 

 exporter by increasing production through investment, decreasing domestic con- 

 sumption by displacing sugar with corn sweeteners, and reporting imported sugar 

 as Mexican origin (especially from Guatemala). 



Arizona Department of Agriculture 



Strongly supports the NAFTA. While most of Arizona agriculture will benefit from 

 the agreement (the beef, cattle and dairy industries), the produce sector is concerned 

 that Mexico will be given preferential treatment. The concern of the produce indus- 

 try is that Mexican produce will not be adequately inspected when it enters the 

 United States. 



