News Releases for April 2002
April 8, 2002
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Hoeven Urges U.S. Trade Ambassador Allen Johnson To Take Strong Action Against Canadian Wheat Board
BISMARCK, N.D. - Governor John Hoeven today called Chief Agriculture Negotiator for the Office of the United States Trade Representative Allen Johnson to reinforce the governor’s appeal last February to take tariff rate-quota action against the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) for excessive wheat and durum imports. The call came as a follow-up to Johnson’s trip to North Dakota last week to meet with North Dakota wheat producers.
Hoeven said he’s pleased that U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Zoellick found that the CWB was engaged in monopolistic trade practices, but the USTR didn’t go far enough to put an end to the CWB’s actions. Johnson advised wheat growers again last week that the USTR will seek relief for farmers through the World Trade Organization (WTO), rather than through tariffs or quotas.
“The WTO moves too slowly,” Hoeven said. “If the Canadian Wheat Board is in violation of international trade laws, then the USTR needs to move quickly to impose temporary, countervailing tariffs, quotas or both. At the same time, the USTR should lodge a suit against the CWB to restore a level playing field.”
Johnson assured Hoeven that the USTR is working on a World Trade Organization dispute settlement action against the CWB. The ambassador said the suit could be underway within a couple of months, but would not commit to a time frame for a final resolution.
The North Dakota Wheat Commission is simultaneously working with the U.S. Department of Commerce to the possibility of lodging an antidumping, countervailing duty action against the CWB, Johnson said.
“The CWB has refused to disclose the extent of their sales and details of their pricing practices,” Hoeven said. “Nothing short of a suit or tariffs and quotas will enable us to determine whether or not they’ve been engaging in dumping practices.”
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