A group of U.S. ag and commodity organizations has penned a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai, outlining what they would like to see done in terms of WTO reforms.
"WTO reform should focus on further market-based and sustainable trade liberalization, institutional improvements that help members better prevent or address trade problems, and a more effective and efficient dispute settlement system," the groups said. They urged action on "creative new approaches" including a modest outcome for the 12th Ministerial meeting in November relative to agriculture, one that is focused on "improved transparency and notifications" that "lays the groundwork for a more ambitious work plan for MC13."
And the groups also brought up a long-standing issue that the sector has urged administration after administration involved in WTO negotiations and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) before that: Agriculture's long-term goals "should not be used as a trade-off for non-agriculture outcomes."