This important agreement was reached this weekend in Geneva. According to NPPC President Keith Berry, a pork producer from Greencastle, Indiana, "the framework agreement represents a significant step forward in a negotiation that is crucial to the future of American agriculture. President Bush and his Administration have scored a major victory for our pork producers."

The Agreement consolidates progress made thus far and points the negotiations in the direction of a positive substantial outcome in all areas. "It puts within reach one of the most important U.S. trade policy objectives of the past 30 years, the elimination of export subsidies. Even more important to pork producers, it mandates substantial improvements in market access for all products in all countries," Berry said. In the area of domestic support, it also sets up a negotiation that should lead to a substantial leveling of the international playing field and a reduction in trade distortions.

"On behalf of America's pork producers, I congratulate USTR Ambassador Robert Zoellick, Agriculture Ambassador Allan Johnson, and the hard working staff at USTR and USDA for their good work. NPPC looks forward to working with the Administration in the coming months to ensure that future negotiations under this new framework yield the maximum possible benefit for U.S. pork producers," said Berry.

Source: National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) - 4th August 2004