The departure from the United States administration of two key agricultural trade officials – agriculture secretary Ann Veneman and trade representative Robert Zoellick – should mean little in the short-term handling of sensitive files such as BSE and World Trade Organization talks, Canadian political and industry officials said last week.
The key will be who replaces them in George W. Bush’s second term.
“On the BSE file, I don’t think (the departures) will make a lot of difference because president Bush said he wants the problem dealt with as soon as possible and the people in the regulatory regime and the people around Veneman were trying to move that file forward,” said Liberal MP Wayne Easter, parliamentary secretary to agriculture minister Andy Mitchell.
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“I hope whoever comes in as agriculture secretary is strong on the need for the kind of trading relationships that are so important to Canada and the United States, that wants to do the right thing rather than play the politics.”
Veneman said Nov. 15 she will not serve a second term as U.S. agriculture secretary. Zoellick has indicated the same although the official announcement has not been made.
Grain Growers of Canada president Ken Bee said he worried that the replacement of two key figures could slow the American ability to quickly take a decisive stance at WTO agricultural talks, now in limbo until a new U.S. government is in place.
“Clearly new people at the top will slow things down as they get up to speed.”
Canadian Federation of Agriculture president Bob Friesen said he would not criticize officials who are retiring.
However, he said he hoped the new agriculture secretary and trade representative act according to the free trade, open border rhetoric they espouse.
“It’s important that whoever replaces Veneman and Zoellick are very sincere about working out the outstanding issues,” he said.
Key issues include BSE, hog duties, wheat tariffs and others.
“We need a person there who, when they talk about trade liberalization, they are sincere about that.”
