Balancing Trade: Open Markets and Supermarkets

Balancing Trade: Open Markets and Supermarkets
WCIT Conference hosted by Senator Patty Murray
and Senator Maria Cantwell

July 3, 2001
Bell Harbor Conference Center Seattle, WA.
8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m

	Agenda
	Remarks by U.S. Senator Patty Murray
	Keynote Address by Susan Aaronson
	Panel Discussion 1: "Food in the Balance: Are Modern Agricultural Practices an Answer to World Hunger?"
	Panel Discussion 2: "Trade Policies: Justifiable Precautions or Barriers to Trade?"
	Conference Sponsors
	Conference Summary

BACKGROUND

Today, three billion people live in poverty and 800 million of those live in a state of chronic hunger. The world’s population will increase by two to four billion before it stabilizes. Figuring out how to feed that growing population is clearly a moral imperative.

The 2001 Washington Council on International Trade’s annual Senator-sponsored conference will spotlight trade components of the international architecture surrounding food production, delivery and consumption. Understanding these food and agriculture issues is essential to anyone seeking to make sense of, or influence, the domestic trade policies of any nation or modern international trade agreements.

The conference begins with the premise that there are solutions to feeding the world’s population and that there are trade or trade policy components implicit in virtually every approach. These trade policy components impact the trade arena far beyond just agriculture/food. Solutions will entail creative ways of thinking and acting both domestically and internationally. Successfully feeding 8 to 10 billion people will require not only growing more food, but also growing economies and improved market access. Likewise, successful, vibrant open trade for all sectors depends on success in addressing difficult food and agriculture trade issues.

CONFERENCE FORMAT

Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell will open the morning with introductory remarks. A brief keynote address will then highlight the trade-related challenges of feeding more people with less cropland. The audience will actively participate throughout the conference by means of questions, electronic polling, and networking breaks. A luncheon speaker will sum up the conference and lead a question and answer discussion of action steps for all participants.

The morning will be divided into two sessions. During the first session, “Food in the Balance: Are Modern Agricultural Practices an Answer to World Hunger?” a panel will focus on the challenges of developing processes and procedures for introducing, gaining acceptance for, implementing and exporting new food and agriculture technologies. Discussion will explore trade challenges posed by modern agricultural practices, including the use of hormones, bio-engineering, and related intellectual property rights.

The second session “Trade Policies: Justifiable Precautions or Barriers to Trade?” will consider issues such as non-tariff barriers, the unique nature of agriculture and need for internal supports, elements of a trade regime that would allow food to be sustainably grown and equitably accessed, and how these agriculture/food issues impact virtually everyone engaged in international trade. Experts will put forward ideas and solutions to the opposing visions that have made international agriculture consultations the most controversial and difficult component of many trade negotiations [e.g. China-WTO].