05/23/05 Johanns, CAFTA, and Idaho

When Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns met with Idaho ag producers he brought a message. He was touting the merits of CAFTA, the Central America Free Trade Agreement. JOHANNS  "Literally segment after segment after segment of the ag industry benefits by us getting CAFTA passed to level the playing field." Johanns has the support of Idaho ag commodity groups like the cattle association and some fruit growers. He and the Bush Administration have no support from the sugar industry, the state's congressional delegation or Governor Dirk Kempthorne. Johanns says the sugar growers are worried about nothing. JOHANNS "The amount of sugar authorized by CAFTA is under two percent. What does that translate too? That translates to about one days worth of production. Stated another way its something like, I don't know, two teaspoons a week per consumer." Idaho grower Perry Meuleman didn't buy Johann's message. Meuleman says the sugar imports from Central America will make a depressed market even worse. MEULEMAN "If you take that same amount 110 thousand ton that's going to come in and put it in a semi truck you can have a semi-truck back to back for 75 miles." So will CAFTA destroyed Idaho's third largest crop and the multi-million dollar industry build around it? MEULMAN "My feeling is if it passes probably five, six years, yes." Some growers told Johanns they're skeptical of CAFTA because of NAFTA. They can't get potatoes into Mexico because of phytosanitary barriers. They think the Canadians are blocking Idaho imports. Johanns promised to fight to knock down those barriers but he chided them for not backing CAFTA. JOHANNS "I'll just be very blunt with you. Of all of the commodities you really did well with CAFTA negotiations, you were consulted, you were involved. And believe me you did well. From my vantage point as secretary the sugar industry really did well in this CAFTA agreement. It isn't going to impact your program." Johanns and about 50 ag producers talked and listened to one another for 45 minutes but in the end it's apparent that no minds were changed and Idaho sugar producers still insist that CAFTA is a sour deal.