07/18/06 Farm Trade Deadline

Farm trade deadline. I'm Greg Martin with today's Northwest Report. The Director General of the WTO was given marching orders by the G8 and that is solve the problem of the stalled farm trade talks within 30 days. Under Secretary of Agriculture J. B. Penn talks about it all came about. PENN: Well over the weekend, the G8 leaders discussed the Doha Round negotiations and noted that apparently that the trade ministers had done about as much as they could do and it was time for the leaders to play a larger role and so they directed the Director General of the WTO, Pascal Lamy, to being this thing to closure by the middle of August. Penn also talks about how WTO could wrap up farm trade deal. PENN: That we've about exhausted the technical possibilities; we've done a lot of technical work and I think we know now what we are dealing with in terms of the broad parameters and the implications and consequences. And now it's time for the political decisions. And so I think that is where Mr. Lamy will focus his efforts is on trying to get the key players to make the critical political decisions that need to be made to break this loose. Now with today's Food Forethought, here's Susan Allen. Living in the heart of pear country it has been tragic to witness the devastation hail can reap on fruit. Central Washington recently experienced one of the worst storms on record resulting in horrific crop loss for many farmers, who now hope that they will qualify for disaster aide. In other parts of the Northwest, salmon fisherman too cling to the hope of receiving aide and cross their fingers that the fact the commerce chief just declared a fishery resource disaster will initiate the first step of aide for Oregon and California fisherman. Just like the tree farmers, they have experienced the worst salmon season on record. Now the fisherman have the muscle of California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski while Washington tree fruit growers must rely solely on Governor, Christine Gregoire to lobby on their behalf. It is political ping pong, and for the sake of both of these valuable NW industries lets hope that the fisherman and fruit growers receive a fair share of disaster relief funds. Thanks Susan. That's today's Northwest Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.