93 



statement 



of 



Karl Johnson 



President, National Pork Producers Council 



on behalf of the 



Export Processing Industry Coalition 



before the 



Subcommittee on Foreign Agriculture and Hunger 



and the 

 Subcommittee on Information, Justice, Transportation and Agriculture 



November 10, 1993 



Mr. Chairman and Members of the Joint Subcommittee: 



I am Karl Johnson, a pork producer and grain farmer from Mankato, 

 Minnesota and currently serving as President of the National Pork Producers 

 Council (NPPC). I appear at this hearing today on behalf of the Export 

 Processing Industry Coalition (EPIC), an organization comprised of the Com 

 Refiners Association, the Millers' National Federation, the National Oilseed 

 Processors Association, the National Pork Producers Council and the 

 Industrial Union Department, AFL-CIO. 



The Export Processing Industry Coalition (EPIC) represents American 

 industries and labor unions that are committed to expanding the U.S. share 

 of the growing world market for processed agricultural exports. 



Mr. Chairman, we commend you for holding this joint hearing on the 

 mission, focus and future direction of Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) and 

 its role in assisting to export agricultural commodities in the year 2000. 



As the members of the subcommittees are aware, the Clinton 

 Administration's proposal to restructure USDA would combine a number of 

 related services and functions, thereby reducing the number of agency 

 administrators. Specifically, in the area of trade reorganization, the Foreign 

 Agricultural Service (FAS) and the Office of International Cooperation and 

 Development (OICD) would be combined into an International Trade Service 

 Agency (ITSA). 



USDA's role in trade policy development and objectives in export program 

 implementation is in urgent need of reorganization. The Administration's 

 restructuring effort provides an ideal opportunity for a thorough review of 

 the missions assigned to FAS and how they can be updated to reflect 

 realities of the modem marketplace. In particular. Department programs 

 and priorities need to be refocussed on improving U.S. competitiveness in 

 the fast-growing world market - representing more than $220 billion in 

 1992 - for processed and high value agricultural products. 



Over the past 40 years. FAS has assumed various roles reflecting U.S. farm 



