First, Fix Nafta

[MDOLAN <mdolan@citizen.org>]

  >
  >           October 13, 1997
  >
  >           First, Fix Nafta       NY Times
  >
  >                   By MICHAEL J. STUART
  >
  >           [O] RLANDO, Fla. -- President Clinton shouldn't be
  >               surprised about the pale reception his "fast
  >           track" trade package is receiving on Capitol Hill.
  >
  >           His Administration is working overtime to find
  >           support for legislation that would give him the
  >           discretion to negotiate trade agreements that
  >           Congress must vote up or down without amendment.
  >
  >           But the President has a huge obstacle to overcome:
  >           his Administration's failure to make good on many
  >           of the commitments he made when he was lobbying
  >           for passage of the North American Free Trade
  >           Agreement.
  >
  >           In 1993, in the days leading up to the House vote
  >           on Nafta, Administration officials sought the
  >           support of Florida's Congressional delegation. To
  >           address the concerns that the state's fruit and
  >           vegetable growers would be hurt by increased
  >           Mexican imports, the Clinton Administration made a
  >           slew of promises, including the pledge to enforce
  >           quotas on Mexican produce and to raise tariffs
  >           quickly if the quotas were exceeded.
  >
  >           The President, in a letter to Representative Tom
  >           Lewis, a Florida Republican, said he believed
  >           safeguards in the agreement and in trade laws
  >           would protect vegetable growers from cheap
  >           exports.
  >
  >           Based on these commitments, several of Florida's
  >           agricultural groups, mine among them, reluctantly
  >           dropped opposition to Nafta. And many in the
  >           Florida Congressional delegation voted for the
  >           trade agreement. But in less than a year, the
  >           Administration's promises turned out to be empty.
  >
  >           Since Nafta took effect in 1994, the United States
  >           has been flooded with produce from Mexican farms
  >           where workers earn less in a day than American
  >           workers earn in an hour.
  >
  >           The injury to Florida's produce industry is real
  >           and measurable. For example, in the spring of
  >           1993, Florida's tomato producers held a 56 percent
  >           share of the American market, according to the
  >           state's Department of Agriculture. Now, their
  >           market share is only 35 percent.
  >
  >           And Mexico? Before Nafta was enacted, Mexico's
  >           share of the American tomato market was 28
  >           percent, but only two years later its share had
  >           grown to 50 percent. The injury to other Florida
  >           crops is comparable.
  >
  >           The safeguards and trade remedies, like tariffs
  >           and existing trade law, touted by the President
  >           have failed miserably. These prescriptions, which
  >           were largely intended for manufactured or dry
  >           goods, are inadequate or go into effect too slowly
  >           for farmers whose products are perishable and
  >           seasonal.
  >
  >           The result is that American growers who compete
  >           with Mexico have been unable to obtain sufficient
  >           relief under Nafta or other trade laws. Farms and
  >           jobs are being lost.
  >
  >           Five years ago, Florida had 200 independent tomato
  >           farmers. Today, there are fewer than 100.
  >
  >           Last month the Clinton Administration turned its
  >           back on Florida's farmers yet again. It initialed
  >           an international environmental agreement under
  >           which growers in developing countries will be able
  >           to use methyl bromide, a critical fumigant, until
  >           2015. Farmers in the United States will be
  >           prohibited from using it starting in 2001.
  >
  >           The Administration has given our foreign
  >           competitors another huge advantage. Given the
  >           Administration's sorry record, why should farmers
  >           believe that any fast-track agreements will
  >           address their concerns?
  >
  >           Enough is enough. Florida's vegetable growers have
  >           experienced the failures of Nafta firsthand. Its
  >           major inadequacies must be addressed before
  >           Congress gives the President new authority to
  >           negotiate trade agreements.
  >
  >           Michael J. Stuart is the president of the Florida
  >           Fruit and Vegetable Association.
  >
  >
  ===== Comments by MDOLAN@CITIZEN (MDOLAN) at 10/13/97 12:48 pm
  
  
  
  
  ****************************************************************************
   /s/ Mike Dolan, Field Director, Global Trade Watch, Public Citizen
  
  Join the Global Trade Watch list server.  We will keep you up to date on 
  trade policy and politics.  To subscribe, send this message: "SUBSCRIBE 
  TW-LIST" [followed by your name, your organizational affiliation and the 
  state in which you live] to LISTPROC@ESSENTIAL.ORG
  
  Then check out our web-site --->   www.citizen.org/pctrade
  
                         WE EDUCATE PEOPLE IN ORDER TO ORGANIZE THEM.
                         WE DON'T ORGANIZE PEOPLE IN ORDER TO EDUCATE THEM.
                                                        Fred Ross, Sr.