TOWARDS A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD FOR CANADIAN CORN PRODUCERS - CANADA LAUNCHES WTO CHALLENGE OF U.S. FARM SUBSIDIES

摘要

On January 8, 2007, Trade Minister David Emerson and Agriculture Minister Chuck Strahl announced that Canada had "requested consultations with the United States at the World Trade Organization on subsidies provided to U.S. corn growers, as well as onthe total level of U.S. trade-distorting agricultural support". Minister Strahl explained that Canada was taking this important action because it is concerned that, "these U.S. subsidies continue to cause economic harm to our com farmers". The Canadian government's press release and backgrounder provide some of the facts Canada is using to support its case. In 2005/2006, the U.S. accounted for 41 percent of global com production and 68 percent of all corn exports. The last two years have pegged U.S. com subsidies at almost US9 billion dollar on average. While world com prices have been suppressed for years and have declined significantly from 2003 to 2006, U.S. corn production has increased.