Senate Passes CAFTA

July 1, 2005 — The Senate passed the U.S.-Dominican Republic and Central America Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA) last night, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported.

In a statement released Thursday night, Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns stated his pleasure with the approved legislation.

"I commend the United States Senate for passing DR-CAFTA. CAFTA is another important step in building new markets and improving the competitive position of U.S. agriculture in the global marketplace. CAFTA will level the playing field for America’s producers. By opening these markets on a fair and an equitable basis, we could double U.S. agricultural exports to these countries."

Johanns said the trade agreement will bring new investments, better jobs, higher labor standards and better access to U.S. products for countries in the CAFTA agreement, including Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.

"Increased trade offers more opportunity for economic growth and greater political stability, and this is especially important in an area that was once characterized by oppression and military dictatorship," Johanns said, noting that the agreement would give U.S. producers broader access to CAFTA markets as well.

Passage of CAFTA legislation will now depend on a vote from the U.S. House of Representatives.

For more information visit www.fas.usda.gov/itp/CAFTA/cafta.html.


— by Crystal Albers, Angus Productions Inc. assistant editor

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