April 3, 2003

 

NDSU Sets Conference on Ag Competitiveness and World Trade Liberalization

North Dakota State University’s Center for Agricultural Policy and Trade Studies and Farm Foundation will hold a two-day conference on agricultural competitiveness and world trade liberalization, May 29 and 30.

The conference will focus on a global examination of U.S. agriculture’s competitiveness in foreign and domestic markets, and an analysis of emerging issues arising from the liberalization of world markets, with a particular emphasis on the impacts on U.S. agricultural trade.

Issues to be explored include

• key issues and progress of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) and World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations and potential impacts on U.S. agricultural exports,
• international perspectives on trade liberalization and agricultural policy,
• issues related to exchange rates, subsidies, and state trading enterprises, and
• alternative means to enhance agricultural exports.

The Center for Agricultural Policy and Trade Studies is a research facility at NDSU focused on enhancing farm income through in-depth trade and agricultural policy research for decision-makers in public and private sectors. Farm Foundation is a nonprofit organization geared toward improving the well-being of U.S. agriculture and rural people.

Conference speakers represent the private and public sectors involved in agricultural production and trade. North Dakota Gov. John Hoeven and Sen. Byron Dorgan have been invited as keynote speakers. Decision-makers in agriculture, universities, and the U. S. and Canadian governments will also address the conference. In addition, a special session featuring speakers from the U.S. Department of Commerce will present programs for enhancing agricultural exports.

The conference will be held at the Ramada Plaza Suites and Conference Center. Registration is $150 if received by April 15, and $200 after that date. A special registration rate of $75 is available for individual agricultural producers. Conference materials and meals are included in this fee. For further information on the conference or registration, please contact Beth Ambrosio at (701) 231-7334, or beth.ambrosio@ndsu.nodak.edu. Additional conference details and registration form are available at http://www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/capts/ .

The conference sponsors are the Center for Agricultural Policy and Trade Studies (CAPTS), the Center for North American Studies, the International Agricultural Trade and Development Center, the International Trade Center, the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station, and the North Dakota Farmers Union.

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Source: Beth Ambrosio, (701)231-7334, beth.ambrosio@ndsu.nodak.edu
Writer: Scott Lowell, (701)231-7865, slowell@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor:. Tom Jirik, (701)231-9629, tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu

(We request that all interested media representatives complete and submit a registration form. List Press or Media under the title field, and in affiliations, please list the company or publication. The registration fee for this conference will be waived for representatives of the media.)