Lambert, Charles D.

English

Research Papers in Economics

Panel  Discussion
NATIONAL CATTLEMEN'S  BEEF  ASSOCIATION
Chuck Lambert
This conference  is the first time I have participated with this group. I hope that
I have brought something to the table, because it has been a very good learning expe-
rience for me.
We have  many more issues in common than we have  in conflict.  In the  1999
World Trade Organization  (WTO)  round,  we all want to be sure that the  European
Union  (EU)  does not rollback the progress we have made to date with respect to STS
agreements  and  to using  a science-based  resolution to settle  disputes. Sometime  in
the next two or three years, we will address China's accession to settle the WTO. That
will involve  discussions  about state trading entities, tariff rollbacks,  and  inspection
equivalence.  We  will also likely revisit a Western  Hemisphere  alliance.  Many of us
will be addressing-if not together, then separately-similar issues.
The conference hit many of the issues that the National Cattlemen's Beef Asso-
ciation (NCBA),  as an organization,  is facing on a daily basis. We lobbied heavily for
fast  track  authority.  Currently,  we  are  lobbying  for  International  Monetary  Fund
(IMF) funding.  We are facing challenges to continued Market Access Program (MAP)
funding. The whole  U.S. budget and  appropriations  process  is currently underway.
There  are  many  things  which  relate  to  trade  in  that  process.  This  conference
addressed  food safety,  technology  applications,  environmental  issues,  restructuring
and contractual  alignments.
There  has been  a lot of soul searching  and  philosophical  debate  in the  beef
industry recently. The United  States is experiencing  not only a reorganization  of the
beef industry, but a reorganization of beef industry organizations.
Two  years  ago,  the  National  Cattlemen's  Association  has  been  through  a
merger  and realignment with the National Livestock and Meat Board.  It has merged
marketing and policy  and is now the National  Cattlemen's Beef Association.  As the
industry has changed, those  organizations  and support mechanisms that work with
the beef industry have changed.  Change in the underlying industry will drive change
in the supporting  organizations  and  institutions.  This process  will  continue in the
future.

PANEL DISCUSSION: NATIONAL CATTLEMEN'S BEEF ASSOCIATION

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Research Papers in Economics