Thread: Miller says NAFTA Benefits Indiana Agriculture

Miller says NAFTA Benefits Indiana Agriculture

04/18/2007
by Gary Truitt

Mention NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement, in some parts of Indiana and you will start a fight. Yet Andy Miller, Director of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, says NAFTA has been good for Indiana farmers. Miller is in Mexico this week at an international meeting of agricultural offices from the US, Mexico, and Canada. The trilateral talks are discussing problems and opportunities that have occurred with the implementation of NAFTA. Beginning in 2008 all ag trade barriers between the three nations will come down as part of the trade agreement. “The opening of trade has allowed products that Indiana excels in to expand,” said Miller. He said pork is a perfect example: “We are seeing significant increases in prok exports to Mexico.”

Miller told Hoosier Ag Today, in a telephone interview from Mexico, that most of the products that Indiana agriculture producers and complementary to those produced in Canada and Mexico. Thus, Indiana farmers have not felt competitive pressure from the other nations of NAFTA. This is the first time Indiana has participated in these talks, and Miller hopes this will help increase international awarensss of the state and its agriculture industry.


Miller said much of the meetings are dealing with livestock trading issues. With increased trade between the US, Canada, and Mexico, steps must be taken to control the spread of diseases like BSE and Avian Influenza. “We want to make sure we are stopping animal disease at the border, but we also want to make the rules just strong enough to prevent the movement of disease but not the movement of trade,” he said. “This is a delicate balancing act not only for the three nations involved but for the whole world.”


Another issue being discussed at the meetings is ethanol. Miller noted there is a great deal of concern by officials in Mexico and Canada about the US corn supply and the increasing price caused in part by an increase in ethanol demand. He said he had been told by Mexican officials that their country was increasing production of white corn to increase supplies of food grade corn.

http://www.hoosieragtoday.com/wire/news ... 185411.php

Not the Farmer I have heard...maybe the corporate Farms

Originally Posted by redbadger

Not the Farmer I have heard...maybe the corporate Farms

Good point! Use to be the farms were family owned but, having come from a farm family in Illinois, I've seen how corps have taken over. It's been sad to see that happen. Some family farms were owned for generations and have been squeezed out.