In a message dated 7/23/99 3:42:41 PM Central Daylight Time, AOL News writes:
<< Subj: Farmland Urges Congressional Support of China 'Normal...
Date: 7/23/99 3:42:41 PM Central Daylight Time
From: AOL News
BCC: Ahab42
Farmland Urges Congressional Support of China 'Normal Trade Relations
KANSAS CITY, Mo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 23, 1999--Farmland Industries,
Inc. today called on Congress to support continuation of Normal Trade
Relations (NTR) with China in a vote scheduled in the U.S. House of
Representatives on Tuesday, July 27.
"Approving extension of normal trade relations with China is one small
step that Congress can take to assure that American farmers, who are already
under great financial strain, don't suffer further from lost access to this
important market," H.D. "Harry" Cleberg, president and chief executive
officer of Farmland Industries, Inc., said in a statement issued by the
Kansas City-based farmer cooperative.
"Feeding a growing world population is central to the economic health
of American agriculture, and China -- now our nation's sixth largest trading
partner -- is the most important growth market for U.S. agricultural exports
in the new century," Cleberg said.
"As home to one in every five people in the world, China will account
for more than one-third of the near-term future growth in farm exports, but
only if we maintain and strengthen trade relations between our countries," he
said.
China's economy is one of the fastest growing in the world. The
country's boom has led to an improvement in nutrition as the population's
living standards have grown. And, according to Cleberg, as the country has
grown more prosperous, people are adding more meat protein to their diet,
creating additional export opportunities for U.S. farmers to help meet that
growing demand.
China has 20 percent of the world's people, but only six percent of the
arable land. "The Chinese must import food to meet demand and if the U.S.
doesn't seek that market, the rest of the world certainly will," Cleberg said.
Normal trade relations status, previously referred to as "most- favored
nation" provides trade parity among countries. The United States grants
normal trade relations to every nation that is a member of the World Trade
Organization. Because China is not yet a WTO member, it does not receive this
status automatically. The President signs a waiver each year granting China
normal trade relations. The House vote is on President Clinton's one-year
waiver.
Farmland Industries is the largest farmer-owned cooperative in North
America with 1998 company sales of $8.8 billion in all 50 states and 90
countries. When including Farmland's share of the sales of its affiliated
businesses, sales were $11.9 billion. Focused on meeting the needs of its
600,000 farmer-owners in the United States, Canada and Mexico, Farmland is a
highly diversified company with major business lines in crop production and
crop protection products, livestock feeds, petroleum, grain processing and
marketing, and the processing and marketing of pork, beef and catfish
products.
CONTACT:
Farmland Industries, Inc.
Sherlyn Manson, 816/459-6230
To edit your profile, go to keyword <A
HREF="aol://1722:NewsProfiles">NewsProfiles
</A>.
For all of today's news, go to keyword <A HREF="aol://1722:News">News</A>. >>
Farmland Urges Congressional Support of China 'Normal Trade Relations
KANSAS CITY, Mo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 23, 1999--Farmland Industries,
Inc. today called on Congress to support continuation of Normal Trade
Relations (NTR) with China in a vote scheduled in the U.S. House of
Representatives on Tuesday, July 27.
"Approving extension of normal trade relations with China is one small
step that Congress can take to assure that American farmers, who are already
under great financial strain, don't suffer further from lost access to this
important market," H.D. "Harry" Cleberg, president and chief executive
officer of Farmland Industries, Inc., said in a statement issued by the
Kansas City-based farmer cooperative.
"Feeding a growing world population is central to the economic health of
American agriculture, and China -- now our nation's sixth largest trading
partner -- is the most important growth market for U.S. agricultural exports
in the new century," Cleberg said.
"As home to one in every five people in the world, China will account
for more than one-third of the near-term future growth in farm exports, but
only if we maintain and strengthen trade relations between our countries," he
said.
China's economy is one of the fastest growing in the world. The
country's boom has led to an improvement in nutrition as the population's
living standards have grown. And, according to Cleberg, as the country has
grown more prosperous, people are adding more meat protein to their diet,
creating additional export opportunities for U.S. farmers to help meet that
growing demand.
China has 20 percent of the world's people, but only six percent of the
arable land. "The Chinese must import food to meet demand and if the U.S.
doesn't seek that market, the rest of the world certainly will," Cleberg said.
Normal trade relations status, previously referred to as "most- favored
nation" provides trade parity among countries. The United States grants
normal trade relations to every nation that is a member of the World Trade
Organization. Because China is not yet a WTO member, it does not receive this
status automatically. The President signs a waiver each year granting China
normal trade relations. The House vote is on President Clinton's one-year
waiver.
Farmland Industries is the largest farmer-owned cooperative in North
America with 1998 company sales of $8.8 billion in all 50 states and 90
countries. When including Farmland's share of the sales of its affiliated
businesses, sales were $11.9 billion. Focused on meeting the needs of its
600,000 farmer-owners in the United States, Canada and Mexico, Farmland is a
highly diversified company with major business lines in crop production and
crop protection products, livestock feeds, petroleum, grain processing and
marketing, and the processing and marketing of pork, beef and catfish
products.
CONTACT:
Farmland Industries, Inc.
Sherlyn Manson, 816/459-6230
To edit your profile, go to keyword <A
HREF="aol://1722:NewsProfiles">NewsProfiles
</A>.
For all of today's news, go to keyword <A HREF="aol://1722:News">News</A>.
