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NEWS STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Audrae Erickson 202-331-1634 or Shannon Shoesmith 304-229-6202 July 25, 2002 CORN REFINERS PLEASED WITH U.S. PROPOSAL TO THE WTO NEGOTIATIONS ON AGRICULTURE The Corn Refiners Association, Inc. (CRA) today applauded the newly unveiled proposal of the U.S. Government to the World Trade Organization (WTO) agricultural trade talks. "The U.S. proposal represents an important step forward in our long desired march toward further agricultural trade reform," noted CRA President Audrae Erickson. "Increased market access of U.S. agricultural products into foreign markets throughout the world will improve the bottom lines of every aspect of our sector." The proposal, to be formally presented to the WTO negotiations on agriculture next week in Geneva by U.S. officials, calls for significant increases in market access and reductions in global domestic support programs designed to level the playing field for U.S. agricultural producers and agribusiness. If achieved, the proposal will eliminate disparities in agricultural import tariffs, government sanctioned payments to producers and export subsidies that currently disadvantage U.S. agricultural interests. Over 6.5 million metric tons of products produced by the U.S. corn wet milling industry worth more than $1.1 billion were exported in 2001. Exports accounted for nearly 30 percent of total product shipments last year. A positive outcome of the WTO agricultural talks would present real opportunities for growth in exports. EDITORS NOTES: Export figures reported by the U.S. Department of Commerce. The U.S. proposal will be available on the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative Web Site at http://www.ustr.gov. For more information on the corn refining industry, visit the Corn Capsules newsletter page. 
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