For example, APHIS employees worked with 
NAPPO to develop guidelines for the release 
of nonnative organisms to control weeds. 
In addition to establishing plant quarantine 
standards, NAPPO also has developed a pest 
risk analysis (PRA) standard. PRAs are gener- 
ally done for every agricultural commodity 
entering the United States. The PRA identi- 
fies foreign pests that could harm U.S. agri- 
culture and the level of risk related to a 
particular commodity. By adhering to the 
PRA standard developed by NAPPO, the 
United States, Mexico, and Canada can all be 
assured they’re using the same approach to 
evaluate pest risks. 
Codex and Free Trade Areas 
for the Americas 
The Codex Alimentarius Commission for 
food safety standards is the third interna- 
tional standards-setting organization recog- 
nized by the WTO. Jointly managed by the 
World Health Organization and the FAO, 
Codex, established in 1963, facilitates world 
food trade by establishing international stan- 
dards based on accepted scientific knowl- 
edge. Codex deals with subjects such as food 
additives, pesticide residues, and food label- 
ing. Codex expert committees are composed 
of representatives from government regula- 
tory agencies, such as USDA's Food Safety 
and Inspection Service, the international sci- 
entific community, and industry. 
The OIE, IPPC, NAPPO, and Codex have 
earned prominent roles in determining the 
substance, direction, priorities, and out- 
comes of SPS requirements. Domestic 
groups have grown increasingly aware of 
these organizations and the importance of 
their activities, resulting in increased inter- 
est and expectations concerning the develop- 
ment, establishment, and amendment of 
international standards, particularly from 
the standpoint of dispute resolution. 
In addition to working with such standards- 
setting organizations as the OIE, IPPC, and 
Codex, the United States is also involved in 
the proposed negotiation of Free Trade Areas 
for the Americas (FTAA). In January 1995, 
the United States and 33 governments from 
Central and South America and the 
Caribbean established the foundation for the 
FTAA, making a joint declaration of their 
commitment to the hemispheric integration 
of economics and trade by 2005. FTAA has 
the potential of accelerating greater intra- 
hemispheric trade, particularly in agricul- 
ture, given the significant role that 
agriculture plays in the economies of most 
Latin American and Caribbean countries. 
The FTAA initiative reflects current U.S. 
trade policy aimed at deepening our trade 
relations with newly emerging or developing 
economies of our hemisphere. 
As a result of WTO and the pending FTAA, 
Latin America has evolved into an important 
region in terms of new markets for U.S. 
agricultural goods. APHIS has played an 
instrumental role in establishing trade 
relationships with these countries. 
APHIS tn the Global Trade Arena 5 
