News Releases for December 2003
December 12, 2003
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Hoeven Meets With North Dakota Sugar Industry Leaders
Group Works Together To Protect Sugar Interests In CAFTA Talks
BISMARCK, N.D. - Gov. John Hoeven today met in Fargo with officials of the Red River Sugarbeet Growers Association; American Crystal Sugar Company; Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative and area sugar beet producers.
Hoeven organized an effort this week to send a letter from sugar state governors to President George W. Bush urging him to exclude sugar tariffs from the U.S.-Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) currently being negotiated by federal trade officials. Governors Dirk Kempthorne of Idaho; Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota; and Judy Martz of Montana joined Hoeven in signing the letter, which presses the fact that its inclusion would severely impact the U.S. sugar industry and the rural communities that depend on it.
Hoeven made a similar request in earlier letters to President Bush last August and September. Since then he has repeatedly contacted the office of U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick to press the sugar industry position, most recently Thursday morning in a call to Agriculture Trade Ambassador Allen Johnson. Hoeven has also pressed the issue with White House officials, including U.S. Commerce Secretary Don Evans. He is pressing the Bush administration to maintain tariff rate quotas that protect the nation’s sugar producers from subsidized foreign imports.
“The fundamental issue here is fairness,” Hoeven said. “Our priority is to get it resolved in the World Trade Organization negotiations. We need to be treated fairly, and not be negotiating in a bilateral agreement. Our farmers and processors are capable of competing with anyone, anyplace, but the playing field must be level and fair.”
Jim Horvath, president and CEO of American Crystal Sugar Co., said, “The sugar industry in North Dakota and Minnesota is very appreciative of Governor Hoeven’s ongoing efforts to help us get our message concerning sugar trade negotiations with Central American countries to the Bush administration. We are confident that this industry can do well in the fair and level playing field of the world sugar trade environment. The Governor clearly understands this and is vigorously presenting our message to the administration.”
Steve Williams, president of the Red River Valley Sugarbeet Growers Association, said, “From a sugar beet growers perspective, we appreciate the efforts Governor Hoeven is making on our behalf to impress upon the White House and U.S. Trade Representative the threat to our industry if a CAFTA agreement is negotiated that allows additional subsidized sugar into our market. He understands the economic impact the sugar beet industry has on the Red River Valley, and we are grateful for his engagement and support on this issue.”
Horvath added, “The sugar industry greatly appreciates Governor Hoeven’s leadership in sending a strongly worded letter to President Bush requesting fair treatment of our business by excluding sugar from the CAFTA talks and dealing with trade sugar only at the WTO negotiations.”
“This is a matter of fairness to the more than 1,800 family beet farmers in North Dakota who are engaged in this vital industry,” Hoeven said. “We must make every effort to retain loan and tariff programs that establish a fair economic footing for our producers, now and into the future.”
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