AGRICULTURALTRENDSANDTRADEPOLICIES.pptVIP

John Deere Public Affairs Worlwide AGRICULTURAL TRENDS AND TRADE POLICIES Introduction Global trends in agriculture Trade policies and economic development WTO Public Forum Geneva, September 26th, 2006 INTRODUCTION – A global Company Deere facilities in the world Growing World Population Increased meat and dairy consumption Increased grain production Crops used for renewable energy Cropland Availability Exports Trade policies and AG economic development World trade agenda in the AG sector Feed the world: AG commodities should be accessible and price-affordable to consumers. Helping the poor to become wealthier. Integration of developing countries in the global economy. Means for achieving that goal: More market orientation. Less trade-distorting support measures. More transparent public supports for taxpayers and consumers. Trade policies and AG economic development Lower costs of production in the developed and developing countries ? Appropriate AG techniques, AG tools and equipment, private investments. Access to the markets is one key issue to be tackled While we don’t oppose regional agreements we still need a multilateral agreement (Doha) for: A) Locking the reforming of AG policies in the developed countries. B) Reducing tarriffs in the advanced economies but also between developing countries. Remark: Preferential access is certainly an issue for many of the poorest countries, but it’s not a sustainable system if it hampers their competitiveness. Tracks for reaching a multilateral agreement We don’t have the solution but we have some suggestions: Concerns for the future – WTO potential new roles Non-tarriff barriers to be closely monitored: Pesticides Seeds GMOs (Panel against is a current example) Health standards Veterinary Our proposal: call for more science-based approach in dispute resolution. Forsdtering International standards : plants (IPPC), animals (OIE), Processed Food (Codex Alime