EMERSON: FREE TRADE A NECESSITY

American agriculture would benefit from free-trade policies that would put the U.S. and other nations on "a level playing field," Rep. Bill Emerson, R-Cape Girardeau, said Saturday.

"The American agricultural producer can out produce any area," Emerson told reporters at a press conference. "The problem is we don't have a level playing field."

At the press conference, Emerson also announced that Bruce Gardner, U.S. assistant secretary of agriculture for economics, will speak at the New Trends in Agriculture event, scheduled for July 17-18 at the Show Me Center.

Gardner is scheduled to speak at a luncheon on July 17.

The two-day event, comprising a number of agricultural seminars, is sponsored by the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce, the University of Missouri Extension Service and Southeast Missouri State University.

Organizers of the event, including event chairman Taylor Bahn, were on hand for the press conference.

Gardner has served as assistant secretary of agriculture for economics since October 1989. As assistant secretary, Gardner oversees the USDA's economics and statistics agencies and serves as the department's chief economist.

He was born and raised in McHenry County, Ill., where his brother still operates the family dairy farm.

Concerning trade, Emerson said that high tariffs and other restraints imposed by foreign nations have hindered efforts to sell American agricultural products abroad.

He pointed out that Japan is the biggest single customer of U.S. agricultural products, but at the same time that nation has some strong trade restrictions.

"They are a great agricultural customer, but they won't buy American rice," he said.

"I don't think the United States should be the only country in the world playing by free-trade rules," said Emerson.

"If we're playing on a level playing field in world trade, we'll be the big winner," he said.

Emerson said he voted with the majority in Congress in approving recently a fast-track policy that allows President Bush to seek to negotiate free-trade agreements.

Bush is seeking to negotiate one such agreement with Mexico. The U.S. entered into such an agreement with Canada several years ago, Emerson said.

The Bush administration is also seeking to negotiate a GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade) accord.

Ninety-seven nations were involved in negotiations that led to the drafting of a trade agreement last year. But the Bush administration rejected the agreement, contending it did not provide for free trade.

Emerson said that while he supports the fast-track efforts of the Bush administration, it is yet to be determined how successful such efforts will be.

"I have reservations about what such trade talks will produce," he said. "You can't judge something that hasn't been negotiated."

He added that the negotiations could take from six to nine months to complete.

Emerson said other issues facing American agriculture are the animal-rights issue and a federal law regulating the use of herbicides and other agricultural chemicals.