Senators Urge Rejection of WTO Cotton Provisions

MEMPHIS – A group of Cotton Belt Senators, led by Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), has written Ambassador Susan Schwab of the U.S. Trade Representative’s office urging U.S. negotiators to reject the cotton provisions in the draft WTO text released in late July by Agriculture Negotiating Chairman Crawford Falconer.

The language in Falconer’s draft would require deep cuts to be made in the domestic support program for cotton in addition to those that might be required by a general agreement on agriculture.

 Senator Chambliss was joined by nine of his colleagues in advising Ambassador Schwab that if the Falconer proposal is not modified significantly, they would have to vote against the agreement if brought to the Senate for a vote.

National Cotton Council Chairman John Pucheu, a Tranquillity, Calif., producer who has been in Geneva consulting with WTO and U.S. representatives about the negotiations’ status, said, “the industry deeply appreciates Senator Chambliss’ continued leadership on this issue and the invaluable support for his efforts expressed by his colleagues. Senator Chambliss and his colleagues have provided the U.S. negotiators an opportunity to make corrections in the negotiating text before there is irreparable harm.”

The letter also was signed by Senators Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Mark Pryor (D-AR), Thad Cochran (R-MS), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), David Vitter (R-LA), Elizabeth Dole (R-NC) and Richard Burr (R-NC).

As the unifying force of the U.S. cotton industry, the Memphis-based NCC has a mission of ensuring the ability of all industry segments to compete effectively and profitably in the raw cotton, oilseed and U.S.-manufactured product markets at home and abroad.