Statement of U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley
Senate Committee on Finance
Executive Session to consider the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement, the U.S.-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement, and the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement
Thursday, July 7, 2011

Let me start by saying I am glad we are here today trying to work out these trade deals.

We all know how important these agreements are.  We can all cite to statistics and data that tell us how much they mean to our economy.  I don't need to recite numbers, because we already know them.  We have heard the same speeches on the benefits of these agreements for four years.  But these deals have been kicked around and delayed over partisan fights.  The American people simply can't afford that anymore.

The Obama administration has finally gotten the message that increasing trade has to be a part of growing our economy.  That is why they are willing to move these deals forward.  But now, as we are on the brink of real action, President Obama has moved the goal-posts once again.  Not only are we told that these deals won't be sent to Congress without a deal on Trade Adjustment Assistance, but we have the unprecedented move of putting TAA into an implementing bill.

There are parts of TAA that I support.  As Ranking Member of this committee, I helped draft some of the reforms Congress passed in 2009.  But the political gamesmanship with these deals by the administration has to stop.  TAA is a spending bill that should be debated and passed on its merits. 

It's a violation of the process to put a program like this in an implementing bill.  But I know that the Chairman has spoken of some flexibility that might be in that, and I've told him that I'd like to help with that process of having a separate and open and fair debate.  I hope we can move forward with that flexibility.  In telling the Chairman that, I'd also like to urge the administration to reconsider its current approach.  Instead, we should come to terms on an agreement for sequencing four separate bills -  including the three separate implementing bills -  And a fourth bill that addresses TAA, trade promotion authority, and the generalized system of preferences.

I was just contacted by an Iowa cattleman who took a trip to Korea less than three weeks ago.  He had a tremendous trip promoting U.S. beef.  But one of his takeaways was that all of Asia is watching how the United States handles these trade deals.  And want to know if the United Sates wants to be in a leadership role for international trade.  They want to know if we are people of action, or just words.  They want to know if we will follow through with these agreements or will we let them languish even longer.  This cattleman came away with the message loud and clear.  Either we get this done, or our trading partners will be looking at other places for the trading terms that they desire.

We don't want to let that happen.  American farmers, businesses, and workers need greater access to these markets.  They need these trade deals.  I appreciate the Chairman scheduling this session today, and scheduling it so we have an adequate amount of time to address these important issues and at a time when more members of the committee are able to be present.  Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Statement of U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley

Wednesday, July 7, 2011

The June unemployment figure is expected on Friday, and this morning there's a meeting of Finance Committee members about pending international trade agreements with Korea, Panama and Colombia.  Approval of those agreements needs to be part of the economic recovery effort.

These three agreements have been ready for congressional action for more than four years.  Demands made by congressional Democrats were accommodated to get the agreements ready back in 2007.  Even so, the Democratic leadership of Congress has refused to allow a vote.  Since President Obama took office, trade got sidelined even more.  That's a mistake.  Jobs supported by exports pay 15 percent more than the national average.  Manufacturers, farmers, and the service sector need new markets for their products.  It's a matter of retaining and creating jobs.

Getting to a congressional vote has been a frustrating process.  A year and a-half ago, President Obama said he wanted to double exports within the next five years.  Still, he let the three trade agreements languish.  This spring, the United States Trade Representative said the trade agreements were ready, but then the administration changed the terms and insisted that the Trade Adjustment Assistance program be passed with the trade agreements.

The Trade Adjustment Assistance program needs to be voted on separately, rather than used to bog down job-generating trade agreements.  The focus needs to stay on helping to spur manufacturing, services and agriculture-related jobs in the United States.  Today, U.S.-Colombia trade is a one-way street.  None of our ag products have duty-free access to the Colombian market, but more than 99 percent of Colombian ag exports enter the U.S. market duty-free.  With a trade agreement, Korea is expected to absorb five percent of total U.S. pork production.  The insurance and financial services industry in the United States, including Iowa, says Korea represents the largest insurance market yet in a free-trade agreement and presents enormous opportunities for domestic job growth.  Panama has tariffs on U.S. beef and corn that would go to zero under a trade agreement.  These trade agreements need to be implemented without delay.

AMES, Iowa -- The largest and longest-running fundraising campaign conducted by Iowa 4-H members for 4-H members has gone above and beyond its goal for the year.

"This year, 481 clubs representing 83 counties raised an extraordinary $31,433.91 to support Iowa youth," said Joe Leisz, executive director of the Iowa 4-H Foundation.

"The 4-H'ers for 4-H program has been in existence for 26 years, and 4-H members have raised a tremendous amount of funds for 4-H to support programs and youth activities," Leisz said.

Since 1985, Iowa 4-H members have raised more than $690,000 for Iowa 4-H Youth Development, the youth program of Iowa State University Extension.

Funds raised in the campaign help families involved in 4-H, by providing financial assistance for program fees. The funds also help youth attend camps, conferences and other leadership activities.

The top fundraising counties for this year's campaign were Kossuth, Webster and Johnson counties.

"This year's campaign totals truly show the passion and dedication Iowa 4-H members have for this great program. I congratulate every person who was involved in this campaign," Leisz said.

For more information about the 4-H'ers for 4-H campaign or other ways to get involved, visit www.iowa4hfoundation.org/4hersfor4h.

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Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and the Iowa Beef Center (IBC) will host a manure management field day on July 13 at the Mike Bettin feedlot in Sac County. The field day, which is set for 1 to 4 p.m., will provide information on manure management issues and offer alternative manure handling options for open feedlots and dairies with less than 1,000 animal units. ISU Extension beef program specialist Beth Doran said there's a lot of confusion about the definition of a medium-sized concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) and who might need a permit.

"ISU Extension agricultural engineering program specialist Shawn Shouse will present information on the definition of a medium CAFO and how feedlot operators can work with the definition," Doran said.

Other topics at the field day include manure storage and handling, technical assistance and cost-share opportunities, and using a manure analysis in the cropping system.

"Feedlot and dairy producers can no longer discharge feedlot effluent into a road ditch, so this year's field day features a demonstration of an economical way to pump feedlot effluent from the solids settling system," ISU Extension agricultural engineering program specialist Kris Kohl said. "There also will be a demonstration on how to calibrate a manure spreader to achieve the correct application rate."

The Bettin feedlot is located 2¼ miles north of the intersection of Hwy 175 and Hwy 71. The specific address is 3087 Hwy 71, Odebolt, and the field day will be held at the north feedlot.

Attendance is free, thanks to a grant from IBC. For more information, contact Doran by phone at 712-737-4230 or by email at doranb@iastate.edu or Kohl by phone at 712-732-5056 or by email at kkohl1@iastate.edu. A flyer is available on the Iowa Manure Management Action Group website.

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AMES, Iowa – The Agricultural Marketing Resource Center (AgMRC) is assisting producer groups gathering information to use in applying for the USDA Rural Business and Cooperative Service (RBCS) value-added producer grants, announced in the Federal Register June 28, 2011.

AgMRC is a virtual library of agricultural value-added opportunities, business development and consulting resources for producers, located at www.agmrc.org.

"There is a direct link on the home page of the site to take producers directly to the federal notice of solicitation of applications, grant templates and a directory of consultants and service providers," said Ray Hansen, director of the center. "Additional resources for producers to develop their business or to find a new market opportunity for an existing business also are available."

Producers can investigate specific commodity information on many different niche opportunities and locate specific laws, consultants and individual contacts within their individual state to assist them in the grant application process.

"The consultant database available on the website includes specific commodity consultants, business development consultants and those consultants specializing in grant writing," Hansen said.

RBCS announced the availability of $37 million in competitive grant funds for fiscal year 2011 to help independent agricultural producers enter into value-added activities. The grant will fund one of the following two activities:

Developing feasibility studies or business plans (including marketing plans or other planning activities) needed to establish a viable value-added marketing opportunity for an agricultural product; or
Acquiring working capital to operate a value-added business venture or an alliance that will allow the producers to better compete in domestic and international markets.
Value-added products are defined as follows:

A change in the physical state or form of the product (such as milling wheat into flour or making strawberries into jam);
The production of a product in a manner that enhances its value, as demonstrated through a business plan (such as organically produced products);
The physical segregation of an agricultural commodity or product in a manner that results in the enhancement of the value of that commodity or product (such as an identity preserved marketing system).
Value-added also includes using any agricultural product or commodity to produce renewable energy on a farm or ranch.

Applications must be completed and submitted no later than August 29, 2011.

Located at Iowa State University, AgMRC is a national center for value-added agriculture resources. For more information, visit www.agmrc.org or call toll-free at 866-277-5567.

 

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