AN OVERVIEW:
In Cancun, Mexico, Mexican President Vicente Fox opened the Fifth Ministerial
Conference of the World Trade Organization [WTO] on September 10,
2003. Present were almost 1600 representatives from 146
nations. Cambodia and Nepal started processing to be new members on day
2. Also present were 15,000 protesters to the WTO's global trade summit as
20,000 Mexican military and police protected official country representatives.
{1.} Mexico spent $25 million; of that amount $5 million was for
security. {2} [Originally WTO was called GATT.]
The protesters, called globophobes, were farmers from developed countries,
farmers from undeveloped countries, representatives from non-governmental
organizations (NGOs), environmentalists, international social agencies' staff,
unionists, anarchists, pacifists, and Mexican revolutionaries. A South
Korean farm leader, Lee Kyung Hae, killed himself to protest WTO rules and
actions on Sept. 10. Hae's casket was carried through the streets by 120
South Koreans on day three. {3} The talks collapsed due to protests, the
supposed bullying tactics of the U.S. and E.U. on the poorer countries, and the
desire of undeveloped countries to not continue growing traditional crops,
sovereignty, tariffs, subsidies or control of their natural resources.
{4.}
Trying to analyze what happened at Cancun is like analyzing the description
of the mythical elephant from five blind men feeling it at different points.
Many Agricultural Organizations united to go to Cancun's WTO meeting since
they believed the actions of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Farm
Bills, the U.S. Trade Representative [USTR] Robert Zoellick, and U.S. State
Department policies do not work to protect U.S. farmers nor world farmers.
{5.} Representing U.S. family farmers and family ranchers were: the
American Agricultural Movement, Inc., American Corn Growers Association [ACGA],
Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund, Missouri Rural Crisis
Center, National Family Farm Coalition [NFFC], National Farmers Organization,
National Farmers Union [NFU], Organization for Competitive Markets [OCM],
Soybean Producers of America, Global Trade Watch, Via Campesina and Oxfam.
The Agricultural Policy Analysis Center [APAC] from the University of
Tennessee headed by Dr. Daryll E. Ray and Organization for Competitive Markets
helped farmers plan for the WTO meeting. APAC suggests U.S. subsidies could
be cut if: (1) acreage diversion through short term set-asides and longer term
acreage reserves; (2) a farmer owned reserve would be implemented; (3) other
price support mechanisms should be enacted; (4) APAC claims these policies would
decrease subsidies by $10 billion. {6.}
Important WTO issues are: elimination of agricultural tariffs, import fees,
and agricultural subsidies, since small countries rely on them for operating
expenses. {7} Early on the second day, 20 developing nations demanded
discussion of the Singapore Issues: (1) Foreign Investment rule changes
be promulgated; (2) Competition and antitrust laws be enforced; (3) Trade
facilitation with fairness should be guaranteed; and (4) Local government
enterprises should not become foreign owned or privatized as a result of the
pressure from the World Bank [WB] and International Monetary Fund [IMF]
regulations and demands. {4.}
Also, the interests of four Sub-Saharan African cotton growing countries
[Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali] concerning developed countries' subsidized
cotton became an important issue which was denied by the developing countries.
{4} The EU subsidizes farmers $78 billion while the U.S. subsidies mainly
large farmers $40 billion; Western developed countries subsidize $300
billion. [Some dispute these numbers.] {8.}
Some believe as Robert Stallman, head of the American Farm Bureau Federation
[AFBF], that the Bush Administration wanted not to offend rural Western State
voters who gave George W. Bush his narrow presidential electoral vote
victory. Of the total agribusiness political contributions, donations to
the Republican Party increased from 56% [$37 million] in 1992 to 72% [$53
million] in the 2000 election. {8.}
The EU representative Paschal Lamy attempted to discuss two of the
Singapore Issues and was chastised by Brussels and opposed by the Korean
delegates. European countries want large subsidies to persist.
{4.}
Fabian Society international socialist democrats were critical of the
influence of the United Nations, IMF and WB ruled by rich countries pushing
progressive globalism and not protecting the environment. Fabianists
believe the rich countries are not accountable to national parliaments and
against universal trade union rights. {9.}
The media released propaganda from multinational corporations that are
determined to control many countries and maintain high profit levels.
{10.}
Foreign maize [corn] and sugar producers cannot compete with subsidized U.S.
agribusiness, big commodity producers and factory farms. {10.} The U.S.
[Robert Zoellick, U.S. Trade Representative, USTR] and the EU promised to scale
back agricultural subsidies if the smaller countries would "eliminate
tariffs and controls in exchange for trade liberalization." {8.}
{10.} {11.}
U.S. officials claim the, "Slow disappearance of small scale farmers is
caused by technological & scientific advances and increased efficiency not
trade policies."
Anarchists, other extremists, and Mexican revolutionaries got much of the
opening publicity diverting attention from agricultural problems as anarchists
did at the 1999 WTO meeting in Seattle. On the last day, protesters, who
had climbed barricades earlier, gave the police carnations. {2.}
My Opinions:
Some believe that the U.S. is using the WTO to export GMO crops. AFBF
claims 5 million members when there are fewer than 2 million farmers. AFBf
was formed by Chicago commodity traders decades ago to do their bidding.
AFBF is not the voice of many family farmers. I believe that the Department
of Agriculture, Congress, U.S. State Department, and the U.S. Trade
Representative are controlled by the Chicago Board of Trade [CBOT], Chicago
Mercantile Exchange [CME] and multinational corporations through the
government-multinational business revolving door; the CBOT and CME are places
that manipulate commodity contracts and gamble with world farmers' futures.
The National Cattlemen's Beef Association, National Corn Producers, American
Farm Bureau, and the National Pork Producers Council are controlled by big
packers, huge cattle feed lot owners, big multinational grain exporters, and
meat exporters. Rank and file family farmers are slowly realizing the
truth and joining: United Stockmen's Association [R-Calf], American Corn Growers
Association, National Farmers Union, the Organization for Competitive Markets,
and the National Family Farm Coalition.
Several years ago, I wrote a letter explaining the phoniness of the belief
that AFBF represents small farmers. The letter was printed in the
British Farmers Union Paper. I received letters from a British
lady farmer and two members of the German Bundestag expressing surprise
because they never realized that many U.S. family farmers did not follow the
philosophy of AFBF.
With big food sellers like WAL-MART being an oligopsony [a limited number of
sellers working together] and the multinational corporation cartel being an
oligopoly [a limited number of buyers] farmers are economically squeezed in the
middle. The U.S. Congress and the U.S. Department of Justice refuse to
change laws and where possible prosecute constricting marketers. The
corruption in agribusiness multinational corporations makes the ENRON and other
cheating scandals on Wall Street pale by comparison. The number of U.S.
farmers is too small to have much political influence and family farmers as a
group are too economically stressed to have much influence. One might
wonder why lawsuits cannot cure the problem. Some farm organizations
are bringing lawsuits against big agribusiness companies. However, biased
judges and delays of decades before cases are heard- delay
justice. Multinational corporations have hundreds of lawyers to discover
the slightest flaw in any case.
Extremist greens get Congress to pass laws to restrict land ownership and
desire to turn the U.S. into a socialist state like countries in
Europe. Some extremists wish to return North America's flora and fauna to
that of 1492. Environmental rules and laws are harshly applied to small
farmers while the polluting factory farms get government
subsidies. With their large legal staffs factory farms and large
agribusiness delay enforcement of environmental rules.
Every dollar eliminated from the U.S. farm economy represents 2.1 to 2.3
dollars in the rural economy. This is called the "multiplier
effect." In the early 70s the U.S. rural multiplier effect was
7-10. In some South and Central American countries the multiplier effect
may be 20 or greater.
Years ago, the American Agriculture Movement, Inc. pushed for 100% of PARITY;
today some ridicule the concept. PARITY is a concept
comparing farm commodity prices to the fair and balanced equilibrium found from
1910-1914 among all sectors of the economy: farmer, middleman, storekeeper, and
eater. Today most commodities only bring about 35% of the adjusted income
of the 1910s. With family producers' income down and the multiplier
effect decreased, U.S. rural, in fact world rural, economies suffer greatly
bringing rarely imagined poverty and famine on the world. Progress in
technological yield improvement has been exceeded so that farmers suffer by
lowering of commodity prices due to their own efficiency.
The U.S. farm policies of the recent past mainly benefit multinational
corporations, WB, IMF, big farmers, agribusiness, extremist environmentalists,
and bankers.
The predatory multinational corporations have made increasing profit at the
health and economic expense of world rural families, urban factory workers, and
union members.
World economic power has shifted to China and Islamic
countries. Empowering China are predatory companies as WAL-MART, J.C.
Penny, K-Mart, Cargill, Archer Daniels Midland, Tyson-IBP, Monsanto, ConAgra,
and others are helped by U.S. politicians, IMF, WB, USDA and the
USTR.
World citizens should demand that the WTO work to resolve world food problems
for world neighbors even if some influential corporations will profit
less. The WTO's level playing field is filled with land mines and is prone
to earthquake faults. The lesser-developed countries are caught in a
downward food production cycle, poverty, and social upheaval; the developed
countries are losing millions of blue and white-collar jobs.
In the Mayan Indian dialect, Cancun means "Snake pit." Anyone
who saw the movies "Snake pit" or "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's
Nest" should have an insight into the crazy results of WTO-Cancun to world
farmers. Cancun truly was a snake pit!
{1.} {4.}
Edward M. Fashing, U.S. Farmer
Bibliography:
Some facts and information were obtained from: The Wall Street Journal,
New York Times, Chicago Tribune/Knight Ridder News Service, San Francisco
Chronicle, Christian Science Monitor, Guardian Limited, Yellow Times
andWTO Geneva Switzerland Web Site: http://www.WTO.org
FOOTNOTES:
{1} Itano, N. (11 Sept. 2003) At global trade summit, strange new
bedfellows Christian Science Monitor, sec. World: p.1
{2} WTO Meeting collapses amid North-South divide (8-14 Sept. 2003)
Mexico Solidarity Network Weekly News and Analysis
{3} Carlson, L. (16 Sept. 2003) The WTO kills farmers: in memory of
Lee Kyung Hae Americas Program Analysts,
americasirc-online.org http://www.foodfirst.org/media/
printformat.php?id=321,
{4} Guebert, A. (19 Sept. 2003) Mexican stand-off: what happened in
Cancun what it means, Final Word-American Corn Growers Association: Issue
66 finalword@agnet.net
{5} Naylor, G. & Hoff, D. et al. (3 Sept. 2003) Press release.
"U.S. farmers reject draft WTO declaration on agriculture; refute USTR
Zoellick's proposal on global agricultural trade"
[http://.farmaid.org]
http://.farmaid.com/event/press/docs/pr_09032003.asp
{6} Ray, D. E., De La Torre Ugarte D. G., & Tiller, K.J. (Summer
2003) Rethinking US agricultural policy: changing course to secure farmer
livelihoods worldwide, executive summary Agricultural Policy Analysis Center,
The University of Tennessee dray@utk.edu
http://.agpolicy.org/blueprint.html
{7} Mudd, K. (16 Sept. 2003) "Commentary: let's stop the silly
rhetoric about "Farm subsidies and call them for what they are 'corporate
welfare.'" Albert Krebs: AGRIBUSINESS EXAMINER ##286,
[avkrebs@earthlink.net] http://www.eal.com/CARP/
{8} Becker, E., (16 Sept. 2003) Coming U.S. vote figures in walkout at
trade talks, Cancun, Mexico The New York
Times nytimes.com
{9} Jacobs, M. (19 Sept. 2003) Beyond Cancun, globalism can be a force
for social justice, but only if capitalism is managed with that aim The
Guardian Unlimited
{10} Dellios, Hugh & Martin, Andy. (13 Sept. 2003)
"Farmers across globe decry U.S.-led trade policies at WTO
summit." Knight Ridder/[Chicago] Tribune Information Services
news@menafn.com
{11} Ray, D. E. (19 Sept. 2003) Food is matter of national security
for all, APAC Weekly Articles, The University of Tennessee
http://www.ag.policy.org.org/ dray@utk.edu APAC Weekly Article,
Communication, September 24,2003
{12} Ethical Guidelines for International Trade Holy See's Note
to Ministerial Conference of World Trade Organization (2003, Sept. 10)
L'Osservatore Romano, Vatican City
{13} Sharma, D. (17 Sept. 2003) "The new pirates of the sea"
The rich few who control trade-Cancun fiasco WTO: end of the road,
dsharma@ndf.vsnl.net.in
{14} Ambrose, S., (12 Sept. 2003) Korean farmer's suicide rattles
Cancun activists assess meaning of dramatic death of farm leader Molly
Spence, National Family Farm Coalition nffc@nffc.net http://nffc.net
{15} Carlson, R. (2003 Oct.) NFU: Farmers' interests left out of trade
talks at WTO meetings National Farmers Union News, 50, Number 8, p.4
{16} Hansen, J. (18 Sept. 2003) "Nebraska farmers union president
Hansen characterizes public debate over AG subsidies as 'Dysfunctional and
non-productive'" Albert Krebs: The Agribusiness Examiner #287
avkrebs@earthlink.net].
{17} De La Torre Ugarte D.G. (19 Sept. 2003) Food is matter of
national security for all APAC Weekly Articles, The University of
Tennessee http://www.ag.policy.org.org/ dray@utk.edu
{18} Robinson, C. (20 Sept. 2003) Latest news in brief on the GM issue
Weekly Watch Number 40
ngin@gmwatch.org weekly@gmwatch.org
{19} Mitchell, L. (18 Sept. 2003) "American Corn Growers
Association charges latest USDA ERS income projections 'maliciously
misleading'" Albert Krebs: The Agribusiness Examiner #287
avkrebs@earthlink.net
{20} Jacobs, M. (19 Sept. 2003) Beyond Cancun, globalism can be a
force for social justice, but only if capitalism is managed with that aim The
Guardian Unlimited
{21} Guatemalan farmer: Maldonado, A. (2003 Sept. 28) From the
highlands to your grocer The New York Times nytimes.com
{22} Mullin, R., (2003 Sept. 22). No can do in Cancun Chemical
& Engineering News 22, p.8.
{23} Callicrate, M. (6 Oct. 2003) Personal Communication
Mike@nobull.net
QUOTES
THE VATICAN:
Pope John Paul II said, " No model of economic growth or international
trade that neglects social justice or marginalizes human groups and human
development is sustainable in the long-term, even from the purely economic point
of view."
{12} Ethical Guidelines for International Trade Holy See's Note to
Ministerial Conference of World Trade Organization (2003, Sept. 10)
L'Osservatore Romano, Vatican City
FOREIGN FARMERS' SPOKESMAN:
Divinder Sharma (distinguished Indian food and trade policy analyst)
"... African cotton producers realise only 60% of their costs although
their cost of production is less than half of that of developed
countries."
"[T] he countries that produce mounting surpluses of wheat, rice, corn,
soybeans, sugar beat [sic], cotton ... under environmentally unsound conditions
leading to an ecological catastrophe."
World Bank/IMF have forced successive governments to adopt policies that
forces farmers to abandon staple crops like wheat, rice and coarse cereals, and
diversity to cash crops. Punjab, the country's food bowl, is presently
engaged in a desperate effort to shift from wheat-rice cropping pattern to
cultivating flowers...."
"Through a variety of instruments, the rich countries have ensured
complete protectionism."
WTO "has successfully managed ... to pit the farmers of the developing
world and the industrialized countries against each other."
Divinder believes that unless farmers' associations in developed countries
come to the rescue of their less blessed cousins in the developing world,
agribusiness companies will continue to have the last laugh. "Western
countries have got too used to being a parasite on the developing
countries."
{13} Sharma, D. (17 Sept. 2003) "The new pirates of the sea"
The rich few who control trade-Cancun fiasco WTO: end of the
road, dsharma@ndf.vsnl.net.in
NFFC:
George Naylor, president of the National Family Farm Coalition [NFFC], whose
family farmed in Iowa since 1919 said, "Our agricultural policy is not good
for the U.S. and not good for the people of the U.S." "Does it
make sense to export our crops for less than it costs to make
them?" "The differential is made up by farm subsidies so
farmers can continue to produce..."
{10} Dellios, Hugh & Martin, Andy. (13 Sept. 2003)
"Farmers across globe decry U.S.-led trade policies at WTO
summit." Knight Ridder/[Chicago] Tribune Information Services
news@menafn.com
George Naylor also said, "The curse of low farm prices has spread around
the world thanks to the U.S. Farm Bill and free trade agreements written for the
benefit of multinational food corporations and to the detriment of family
farmers, the environment, and each nation's economy."
{5} Naylor, G. & Hoff, D. et al. (3 Sept. 2003) Press release.
"U.S. farmers reject draft WTO declaration on agriculture; refute USTR
Zoellick's proposal on global agricultural trade"
[http://.farmaid.org]
http://.farmaid.com/event/press/docs/pr_09032003.asp
George Naylor believes, "If [farmers] said no more subsidies, all
farmers would be out of business because not one dollar would be lent to
them.'
{10} Dellios, H. & Martin, A. (13 Sept. 2003) "Farmers across
globe decry U.S.-led trade policies at WTO summit." Knight
Ridder/[Chicago] Tribune Information Services news@menafn.com
OCM:
Keith Mudd, VP-Organization for Competitive Markets, Monroe City, Missouri,
farmer:
"[T]he truth is that all farmers, regardless of size, must use the
subsidy just to raise the value received for their commodity above the cost of
production." ... Look somewhere else for a scapegoat; it is not the
American farmer draining the United States Treasury. The real transfer of
wealth is accumulating in Cargill and ADM's bank accounts."
... [T]he U.S. government buys surplus grain from American farmers
and sends it halfway around the world ... instead of first buying what
Ethiopians produce.
{7} Mudd, K. (16 Sept. 2003) "Commentary: let's stop
the silly rhetoric about "Farm subsidies and call them for what they are
'corporate welfare.'" Albert Krebs: AGRIBUSINESS EXAMINER
##286, [avkrebs@earthlink.net] http:www.eal.com/CARP/
Lee Kyung Hae and Other South Korean Farmers
Suicide of Lee Kyung Hae [56 yrs old], former president of the South Korean
Advanced Farmers Federation, rice farmer scaled the fence in front of Mexican
Riot Police then stabbed himself in the heart. On the first day Sept. 10,
2003, Hae died.
Lee Kyung Hae said, "The WTO Kills Farmers."
Lee Kyung Hae wrote, "[A]fter the Uruguay Round Agreement ... we Korean
Farmers realized that ... our destinies are no longer in our own hands. ... Stop
basing your WTO negations on flawed logic and mere diplomatic
gestures. take agriculture out of the WTO system. ... Since [massive
importing and dumping] we small farmers have never been paid over our production
costs. ... These lands paved now were mostly rice paddies built by generations
over thousands of years. ... [H]uman beings are in an endangered situation. ...
[T]he false logic of neoliberalism will wipe out the diversity of global
agriculture and be disastrous to all human beings."
{3.} Carlson, L. (16 Sept. 2003) The WTO kills farmers: in memory of Lee
Kyung Hae Americas Program Analysts americasirc-online.org
http://www.foodfirst.org/printformat.php?id=321
NFFC: National Family Farm Coalition
George Naylor said, "NFFC is in Cancun to urge a reversal of US
government corporate welfare for agribusiness cartel (Monsanto, Archer Daniel
Midland, Cargill, etc.) to be replaced by the introduction of fair pricing
structures and rational food supply management ."
Hiroshi Kanno, retired US government employee and Central Wisconsin resident
said, "The plight of [world farmers] is caused by global trade rules that
prioritize profit over public welfare." "One more time we flatly
and emphatically demand that the WTO take the Agricultural Agreement (AoA)
out of the agenda."
{14} Ambrose, S., (12 Sept. 2003) Korean farmer's suicide rattles
Cancun activists assess meaning of dramatic death of farm leader Molly
Spence, National Family Farm Coalition nffc@nffc.net
http://nffc.net
ACGA: American Corn Growers Association
Alan Guebert of the ACGA
"Developing Nations with tens of millions of poor, undernourished people
saw the US-EU agreement as a thin gauze to veil their unwillingness to make
necessary cuts in farm subsidies."
"Four African nations [Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali] demanded America
reduce its ample domestic subsidies on cotton because ... US subsidies denied
their countries' farmers a fair return." ... "Zoellick and Veneman
lectured the Africans and angered them instead of having previously spoken to
them."
"The U.S. wants a NAFTA like deal-- [with] few controls on
corporations; the EU is willing to permit more government sovereignty [to
remain]. ...
{4} Guebert, A. (19 Sept. 2003) Mexican stand-off: what happened in
Cancun what it means, Final Word-American Corn Growers Association:
Issue 66 finalword@agnet.net
NFU: National Farmers Union
Robert Carlson, president North Dakota Farmers Union and head of National
Farmers Union legislative trade committee said:
"Food is different ... [s]upply does not respond enough to low prices
and neither does demand. Therefore, all we're doing by lower prices is
lowering our farm income."
{15} Carlson, R. (2003 Oct.) NFU: Farmers' interests left out
of trade talks at WTO meetings National Farmers Union News, 50, Number 8,
p.4
John Hansen Nebraska Farmers Union President & NFU National Secretary
said:
"Our trade policy continues to be dominated and directed by U.S. based
international agribusiness processors and exporters who want to buy more ag
products for less money." "Unfortunately the USTR [Zoellick]
seems to put private processor company interests ahead of ag producers and our
overall [U.S.] country interest. As the U.S. based international grain and
meat cartel continue to beat down domestic ag commodity prices, world commodity
prices collapse in a chain reaction, downward."
{16) Hansen, J. (18 Sept. 2003) "Nebraska farmers union president
Hansen characterizes public debate over AG subsidies as 'Dysfunctional and
non-productive'" Albert Krebs: The Agribusiness Examiner
#287 avkrebs@earthlink.net].
APAC: Agricultural Policy Analysis Center-University of
Tennessee
Dr. Daryll E. Ray, Agricultural Economist, said "[S]ince 1996, when
the Freedom To Farm Act legislation was passed ... America's four chief exports
(corn, wheat, soybeans, and cotton) have plunged more than 40%. [Other
countries] have harvested poorer incomes, hunger, desperation and
migration."
"Summation: This cheap-grain policy has benefited multinational
agribusiness firms, large livestock operations, and importers-not crop farmers,
who now sell grain below their cost of production ... This ... damages the
agricultural economies of developing countries."
{6} Ray, D. E., De La Torre Ugarte D. G., & Tiller, K.J. (Summer
2003) Rethinking US agricultural policy: changing course to secure farmer
livelihoods worldwide, executive summary Agricultural Policy Analysis Center,
The University of Tennessee dray@utk.edu
http://.agpolicy.org/blueprint.html
Professor Daniel De La Torre, APAC, University of Tennessee, originally from
Peru, said, " There is no question that the U.S. is exporting
poverty."
{17} De La Torre Ugarte D.G. (19 Sept. 2003) Food is matter of
national security for all APAC Weekly Articles, The University of
Tennessee http://www.ag.policy.org.org/ dray@utk.edu
GM-WATCH: Claire Robinson, an anti-GM[O] genetically modified organism
spokesperson, says:
"The U.S. is working to force open markets for genetically engineered
crops whether via WTO, regional trade pacts or bilateral agreements."
"Australia's Prime Minister [John Howard] offered unfettered investment
access for U.S. multinationals and "relaxed labelling for genetically
modified food" in exchange for a bilateral "free trade
agreement."
{18} Robinson, C. (20 Sept. 2003) Latest news in brief on the GM
issue Weekly Watch Number 40
ngin@gmwatch.org weekly@gmwatch.org
The Cancun Failure by the New York Times:
"[T]he American farm lobby is split between those who want to profit
from greater access to foreign markets and less efficient sectors that demand
continued coddling from Washington.
{8} Becker, E., (16 Sept. 2003) Coming U.S. vote figures in
walkout at trade talks, Cancun, Mexico The New York
Times nytimes.com
Health Coverage for Farmers:
Larry Mitchell said, "Farm families work off the farm to make ends meet
and/or secure health coverage."
{19} Mitchell, L. (18 Sept. 2003) "American Corn Growers
Association charges latest USDA ERS income projections 'maliciously
misleading'" Albert Krebs: The Agribusiness Examiner #287
avkrebs@earthlink.net
Paschal Lamy of EU Trade Commission said, " EU wanted to discuss:
[2 of the Singapore Issues]
(1) Trade facilitation;
(2) Government Procurement;"
(3) [But] Korea Objected wanted all four [Singapore] issues discussed
simultaneously as did Brussels.
(5) ... The "EU [w]ant[s] to protect $48 billion
subsidies."
(6) "The aim of the WTO is not to eliminate all supports for
agriculture... but to reduce trade distorting support ... ."
{4} Guebert, A. (19 Sept. 2003) Mexican Stand-off: what happened
in Cancun what it means Final Word-American Corn Growers Association:
Issue 66 finalword@agnet.net
FABIANISTS: Michael Jacobs Fabian Society of international socialist
democrats.
"[P]rogressive globalism demands a more democratic form of global
governance. International institutions such as the UN Security Council, the
International Monetary Fund [IMF] and the World Bank [WB] are ruled by the rich
countries of the developed world. They need to be democratized and their
activities made much more accountable to national parliaments and people, if
they are to have proper legitimacy. ... [P]rogressive globalism ... seeks a new
coalition for change, uniting progressive governments, NGOs, trade unions and
even enlightened businesses. After Cancun, the need could not be more
urgent."
{20} Jacobs, M. (19 Sept. 2003) Beyond Cancun, globalism can be a
force for social justice, but only if capitalism is managed with that aim The
Guardian Unlimited
Small Third World Farmers From Central America [Lesser Developed].
A NYT article says, "Due to inflation of oil ... [prices] developing
countries urgently need money." "Countries are forced to
downsize government, cut wages, privatize services, impose fees, cut public
pensions, devalue currency, outlaw protectionism. Fertile fields lie
fallow.... Local investment is de-emphasized due to stress for foreign
investment. Hanes, Disney, Nike, Adidas, J.C. Penny, Sears, WAL-MART,
seek out countries with high unemployment. [There is a D]e- emphasis of
social welfare." (use indirect quote?)
{21} Guatemalan farmer: Maldonado, A. (2003 Sept. 28) From the
highlands to your grocer The New York Times nytimes.com
Chemical Industry
" The chemical industry hopes for a timetable on the elimination of
global tariffs were thwarted with the collapse of trade talks at the WTO...
meeting in Cancun...
{22} Mullin, R., (2003 Sept. 22). No can do in Cancun Chemical
& Engineering News 22, p.8.
OCM: Organization for Competitive Markets
Mike Callicrate, (Organization for Competitive Markets leader, cattle feedlot
owner and beef processor)
"The failure of the WTO talks at Cancun is significant and very
encouraging. The folly of corporate controlled globalization has finally
been exposed for what it is- human exploitation and enslavement on an
unprecedented global scale. Perhaps we will now be successful in uprooting
the U.S. sponsored WTO, World Bank and International Monetary Fund seeds of
hate, discontent and terrorism before they further undermine and destroy access
to even more essential human resources and people's God-given rights."
{23} Callicrate, M. (6 Oct. 2003) Personal Communication
Mike@nobull.net
Mexico Solidarity Network Analysis:
"In the final analysis, there were almost no areas of agreement between
Northern and Southern nations. Southern Nations objected to massive
agricultural subsidies by the US and EU that result in dumping of basic grains
at prices below cost of production, threatening the existence of millions of
Southern producers.
"Although they had dismantled the triple layer ten foot high steel
fence: On Saturday at a ceremony, the Korean delegation and large group of women
ended with "hundreds of demonstrators presenting white carnations to
police."
{2.} WTO meeting collapses amid North-South divide (8-14 Sept. 2003)
Mexico Solidarity Network Weekly News and Analysis
CANCUN ARTICLE: 2 (10/29/03)
THE WORLD BATTLE:
We have a worldwide battle for control of agriculture by various forces:
1. Greedy multinational corporations and cartels;
2. Narrow minded world socialistic politicians-more
powerful than many governments;
3. Pantheist environmentalists bent on worshipping and
serving Mother Earth;
4. A narrow-minded Church backing the wealthy, choosing
the reinstitution of serfdom for world peasant farmers by default; most clergy
sympathetic to the poor were laicized, made ineffectual, or thrown out with the
bath water of liberation theology.
5. Large corporate farmers, factory farms, and
cartel-controlled agribusiness receive commodities from farmers and ranchers
without fair economic contracts and rules;
6. A media misrepresenting and editing the supposed
reality reported as news according to their owner's philosophy;
7. Western Countries controlling the World Trade
Organization [WTO] undeveloped countries with tariffs, subsidies, the
International Monetary Fund [IMF] and the World Bank [WB];
All the above, seek to influence an assembly-line dull-eyed consumer bent on
thinking and acting as they are told while third world peasants are destined to
produce flowers and small crops not easily harvested by machines with
multinational corporations controlling world government and the major
commodities.
The above are misguided by extremes of philosophies supposedly promulgated
by:
1. Adam Smith credited with capitalism; he did not
believe in predatory capitalism but believed in charitable donations and
fairness to the poor;
2. Rachel Carson; she was not for the present extremist
environmentalism; today many environmentalists are afraid that if the truth
about environmental improvement in the last 30 years is publicized that
"people will get complacent on us." Some use environmental
issues to stop hated capitalism.
3. Pope John XXIII was for the poor; Pope John Paul II, as much as I love
him, seems to be overly influenced from being under tyrannical Communism and
being in a Church presently patterned after the Roman Emperors instead of the
initial democracy present in the Church until the late 4th Century
A.D. Semi-democratic "collegiality" was stressed by Vatican
II; it is out of vogue under Pope John Paul II.
4. The establishment of commodity contracts was meant
to be a device so that the producer-merchant-consumer all got profit or the
ability to purchase food at a fair level. Now at places like the Chicago
Board of Trade [CBOT] and Chicago Mercantile Exchange [CME], gambling and
cheating are the modes of action.
5. Parity was established in the 1910s as a mode
of judging the fairness of commodity prices for producers. Parity
established the average prices of commodities from 1910-1914 when all U.S.
economic sectors were balanced. When projections of commodity prices
adjusted for inflation are calculated, the present commodities sell for an
average of about 35% ofParity. When most technological advances were
made in farming and ranching, there was an overcorrection so that small and
medium family farmers and ranchers came away with proportionately lesser profit
and overall income.
The forecast is that farm households in 2003 will average $3,968 from
farming; 93.8% of farm income is made off the farm to put food on the table and
secure health coverage. Smaller farmers and ranchers have been squeezed so
that of the 1.9 million farmers only 150,000 large farmers produce the majority
of produce [72%]. Large farms receive most of U.S. subsidies. USDA
works for big agribusiness and against most farmers.
6. Government has been twisted so that the influence of
multinational corporations has been totally self-serving. Congress has been
bought by corporate donations and the "revolving door" has placed a
select few in positions able to control the U.S. State Department, Defense
Department, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the U.S. Department of Justice
in critical positions to do the will of the elite and not the family farmer or
rancher. Enforcement of rules has been given to effete or corrupt
officials.
A philosophy and economy must be tempered with paradigm
including love, justice, and reality. Moral relations remain a dangerous
pit open to swallow the careless wanderer through life. The desires and
interests of the majority of the producers are rejected due to the over
influence of a minority seeking profit at any cost to the producer.
The world's poor farmers have been abandoned by uncaring big governments,
multinational corporations, extremist environmentalists, the World Bank,
anarchists, those with a global socialist philosophy, an ultra-liberal media out
of control, greedy contract traders gambling with the futures of family
producers, the International Monetary Fund forcing privatization of local
natural resources, and the policies of a regal Church saddling-up to the
wealthy.
OTHER INTERESTING REFERENCES
27. Participation Data: http://www.wto.org
28. Cambridge U. Press Items to buy: http://www.wto.org/english/res_e/booksp_e/cup_e.htm
29. Day 1: Conference Kicks Off: http://www.org/english/thewto_e/min03_e/min03_10sept_e.htm
30. Day 2: Cambodia and Nepal membership Sealed,Singapore Issues: http://wto.org/english/thewto_e/minist_e/min03-e/min03_11sept_e.
htm
31. Day 3: "Facilatory" Start of Work: http://wto.org/english/thewto_e/minist_e/min03_e/
min03_12sept_htm
32. Day 4: As Ministers Commit on New Draft, Chairperson Warns of Dangers of
Failure: http://.wto.org/english/thewto_e/minist_e/min03-e/min03_13sept_e
.htm
33. Day 5: Conference Ends Without Consensus; [Singapore Issues]: http://.wto.org/english/thewto_e/minist_e/min03-e/min03_14sept_e
.htm
34. NGO Participation in Ministerial Conference: http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news_e.htm
35. Dispute Settlement Body (2 Oct. 2003): http://www.wto.org/english/news_e_news03_e/dsb_2oct03_e.htm<
/p>
36. The Doha Declaration Explained (Timetable for Resolution for Most is Jan.
2005:
http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/dda_e/dohaexplained_e.htm
37. New WTO
Edward M. Fashing
emfashing@socket.net
573-687-3244
2898 Audrain Road 114
Sturgeon, Missouri 65284
