When world leaders and agriculture ministers gather in Rome June 10-13
for a world food summit, officials of the United Nations Food and
Agriculture Organization hope the debate focuses on how to cut the
number of hungry people in half by 2015.
But in the corridors around the FAO headquarters, which once contained
the offices of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini’s colonial affairs
department, much of the talk will be about how the world can stop the
United States farm bill.
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Canadian agriculture minister Lyle Vanclief said May 30 he has been
helping organize an informal gathering of world agriculture ministers
in Rome to talk about the farm bill.
They will form a common front and may try to have a meeting with U.S.
agriculture Ann Veneman to voice the world’s displeasure at the
potential effects of a new spate of U.S. farm subsidies.
“I will be further rallying the support of those who share our views,”
Vanclief told the House of Commons agriculture committee.
“It’s not just about Canada and the United States. It’s about the
United States and the world.”
Vanclief said he has spoken with the agriculture ministers of Mexico,
Brazil, India, Australia and the European Union, encouraging them to go
to Rome to put pressure on the Americans. Vanclief will meet Veneman
there.
He said few actions of the Americans have ever brought as much
worldwide negative reaction. And he used some of his strongest language
yet to condemn farm bill subsidies and protectionism.
“I am appalled, I am disgusted, I am disappointed by the protectionist
policy of the United States.”
But he also cautioned MPs not to expect the Americans to quickly admit
the error of their ways.
He said Canada defends its own policies even though “the world is
ganging up on us over supply management and the Canadian Wheat Board.”
He expects the U.S. to do the same.
Meanwhile, many countries are examining the detail of the new farm
bill, looking for evidence that it is violating World Trade
Organization rules.
“If there is any area we find in contravention of the WTO, we will not
hesitate to take them to the WTO.”
However, Vanclief rejected Canadian Alliance criticisms that Canada
already should have taken the U.S. to trade court. He said court
challenges require facts of illegality and not just suspicions. It is
too early to know what impact the farm bill will have.
