Iowa Congressman Tom Latham is hopeful the decision by the World TradeOrganization to punish the European Union for banning U-S beef may pry openthe E-U’s doors to do more trade with the U-S. The W-T-O is awarding the U-Smore than 116-million dollars in damages.The award settles the arguement over hormone-treated beef, though the awardis a little over half what the U-S asked for. Latham says there needs to bemore openmindedness to new technologies on behalf of the Europeans.Latham says the low commodities prices in combination with the foreignmarket situtaion are making for a crisis situation for midwestern farmers.He says the trade meeting yesterday in Des Moines showed some promise thatthe international trade situation may improve.He says the U-S needs to more agressively market our ag products overseas.
