April 21, 2000

For agriculture, it’s a no-brainer.

"An absolute no-brainer," said U.S. Rep. Charles Stenholm, ranking member of the House Agriculture Committee. "There is nothing we give up and everything we potentially gain by passing permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) with China."

Establishing PNTR with China was the top priority of the Texas Farm Bureau delegation as they visited the nation’s capitol during the 25th anniversary of the National Affairs Awards trip. They found their concerns were shared by several lawmakers.

Why is PNTR important? China will probably soon become a member of the World Trade Organization. But without Congress granting PNTR to China, goods and services from the United States would not be able to benefit from the more liberal trade opportunities offered by this huge, potential market.

China, House Ag Committee Chairman Larry Combest told the group, has made a number of concessions to gain PNTR.

Included in those concessions are:

• Lower trade tariffs.

• More open markets for agricultural products.

• No new technical barriers

• Recognition of U.S. export certification standards.

• Phase out of state trading of soy oil.

• An agreement to purchase more bulk grains.

Combest said it will be a "tragedy" for agriculture if PNTR does not pass, noting that support in Congress if a vote were taken now was too close to call.

Congressman Mac Thornberry agreed: "It’s probably going to be the most contentious, difficult vote we have all year."

"We will never have this good of a chance again," Combest added. "Everybody says, ‘We know what they gave up. What do we give up?’ Nothing. We didn’t give up anything. This is a win-win-win-win deal for us."

Combest noted that labor is the chief opponent to granting the trade status to China. He said organized labor will put "hundreds of phone calls a day" to congressional offices. He urged Farm Bureau to join with other agriculture groups and the business community to show support for PNTR.

"That’s what needs to happen is in every congressional district where Farm Bureau has an organization, they need to call their congressman everyday and tell them there are people out there that will support that (PNTR)," Combest said. "We need to give them a reason and let them know that there are people out there who support that petition. In the past, on fast-track, for example, it didn’t occur. It never happened."

Stenholm suggested going one step further and eliminate all unilateral trade sanctions with other countries.

"You know, we’ve got unilateral sanctions on Iraq, on Cuba, on Iran, you name it," he remarked. "We remember the Carter grain embargo, Afghanistan and all of this. Every time is just shoots the American farmer in both feet. And it doesn’t hurt anybody else other than the people in the country that would be buying our food. And our competitors take the market."

Sen. Phil Gramm also urged Texas Farm Bureau members to actively pursue the issue.

"It’s unimaginable it (PNTR) won’t happen," Gramm said. "It’s going to be a close vote. So I urge each of you to let your House member know, because we’re going to win it in the Senate."