WTO Rules Against EU Sugar, U.S. Cotton Support, Backing Brazil

[UpInArms]

http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000086&sid=as4.wnubGOWw&refer=latin_america

Sept. 8 (Bloomberg) -- The World Trade Organization ruled as much as half of European Union sugar exports are illegal and separately confirmed that $3 billion in U.S. cotton subsidies violate WTO rules, handing Brazil two victories in its fight against rich-nation farm aid.

The disputes are part of efforts by developing and food exporting nations to push wealthy governments to slash spending on farmers. In an outline accord for a global trade agreement reached in Geneva last month, the WTO's 147 members agreed to scrap agricultural export aid by a date to be set, dismantle import tariffs and cut domestic farm subsidies.

``We didn't bring these cases to interfere with the WTO negotiations, but without them'' the EU and U.S. ``would never change their policies,'' Brazil's ambassador to the WTO, Luiz Felipe de Seixas Correa, said in a telephone interview. ``The cases are an important element for pressure.''

<snip>

The separate decision against the U.S. confirms a confidential June report that found American cotton aid overshoots payment limits. WTO judges deemed the payments to 35,000 American cotton farmers unfair because they exceed caps the U.S. agreed to a decade ago. The U.S. plans to appeal.

...more...

How 'bout that "free trade"! /sarcasm

[Judi Lynn]

1. Now this is interesting, isn't it?

I thought we had bullied everyone into submission! Apparently not everyone, not all the time!

[dumpster_baby]

2. Most USA farms are owned by rich corporations and run automatically

At least most of the produce that is exported is from these big farms that are owned by rich people and corporations. I don't think this WTO ruling hurts the average person that much. Maybe if American agribusiness could not export as much, it would cause land values to drop.