CFA builds international consensus

News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 16, 2003

(TOKYO, JAPAN) - The Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) concluded its meetings with international farm leaders in Tokyo by welcoming the National Farmers Union of the United States as a signatory to the joint Declaration for Fair and Equitable Agricultural Trade Rules at the World Trade Organization (WTO).

First drafted and adopted by farm groups representing 32 countries last October in Geneva, the joint Declaration for Fair and Equitable Trade Rules outlines 11 guiding principles that must form the basis of multilateral trade negotiations. The principles include current WTO negotiations resulting in positive results for farmers around the world, better functioning of agricultural markets, improved export market opportunities, the ability to maintain orderly marketing systems such as supply management, and a recognition that there may be a need to vary the level of special and differential treatment dependant on the level of development within a country. The Declaration also recognizes the WTO as the principle vehicle for the establishment of fair and effective trade rules.

"The CFA continues to work hard to build international consensus for this Declaration to ensure the results of WTO negotiations accrue benefits to producers and improve farmers' incomes around the world," said Bob Friesen, CFA President. "There is clear leadership at the farm level and we now look to our representatives at the WTO to respect the farmer priorities outlined in the joint Declaration."

The National Farmers Union is the twelfth farm group to adopt the Declaration, which now boasts support from 34 nations including representatives from the developing and developed world. The National Farmers Union is a general farm organization with a membership of nearly 300,000 farm and ranch families throughout the United States.

"The National Farmers Union is proud to join its voice to like-minded farmers' organizations from around the world by endorsing this Declaration," said Dave Frederickson, NFU President. "This declaration provides a blueprint for the current WTO negotiations to establish fair and equitable trade rules that will benefit farmers around the world."

In addition to the NFU and the CFA, signatories to the declaration are: the Committee of Agricultural Organizations in the European Union (COPA), the General committee for Agricultural Cooperation in the European Union (COGECA), Icelandic Farmers Union, JA Zenchu (Japan), National Agricultural Cooperative of Korea, the Norwegian Farmers Union, Sri Lanka Cooperative Marketing Federation, Swiss Farmers Union, le Réseau des organizations paysannes et de producteurs agricoles de l'Afrique de l'ouest (ROPPA - participating countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo).

-30-

Founded in 1935 to provide Canada's farmers with a single voice in Ottawa, the Canadian Federation of Agriculture is the country's largest farmers' organization. Its members include provincial general farm organizations as well as national and inter-provincial commodity organizations from every province. Through its members, CFA represents over 200,000 Canadian farmers and farm families.

Contact:

Kieran Green, CFA Communications Coordinator, (613) 236-3633, info@cfafca.ca

Bob Friesen, CFA President, (204) 724-0824 (cell)

Brigid Rivoire, CFA Executive Director, (613) 236-3633 / (613) 715-3113 (cell)