Ag trade reform seen as a plus for Iowa

In a move that could create broader markets for a number of Iowa agricultural products, the U.S. and the European Union have agreed on a framework for ag trade reform. Ron Gaskill, a trade specialist at the American Farm Bureau, says talks between the U.S. and the E-U had broken down in recent weeks so he sees the agreement as a significant breakthrough for farmers.The World Trade Organization is preparing for a high-level summit in Mexico next month. Gaskill says the U.S./E-U proposal deals with issues including: domestic supports, export subsidies and market access, but he says it’s not yet clear how large an advantage it may bring for Iowa producers. Gaskill says the trade agreement still contains a number of unresolved issues about how many objectives will be achieved or how many members will agree on them. The W-T-O meeting is slated for September 10-14 in Cancun.