JAMES VORDERSTRASSE: Congressional representatives, federal agency representatives, state officials, my name is James Vorderstrasse. I am a sorghum producer from Hebron, Nebraska, and appear before you today as Chairman of the Nebraska Grain Sorghum Producers Association. On behalf of our membership and all sorghum growers in the United States, we appreciate the opportunity to offer comments during this listening session.

Grain sorghum production is an important component of dryland agriculture in Nebraska and contributes 150 million annually to the Nebraska economy. The sorghum industry along with the rest of agriculture has a vital interest in the World Trade Organization negotiations because we rely on the export market for more than one-third of our national production.

A leading point of international debate that needs to be addressed through the WTO is market access to genetically modified organisms. As an organization, Nebraska GSPA supports the sales concept that the customer is always right. And as a non-GMO industry, sorghum stands ready to fill our customers' grain needs. We understand GMO's and support and appreciate the significance of this exciting advancement in agriculture production technology. We encourage the WTO to negotiate and develop a set of international standards and regulations that are based on sound science and rational risk assessment measures.

During the course of discussions on the GMO issue, we would ask that the U.S. not lose sight of the fact that non-GMO products are readily available and can be marketed as such with complete confidence without the additional cost and risk of an IP program. U.S. sorghum fits that bill and offers both value and versatility for food, feed, and fuel in both domestic and international marketplace.

Biotechnology research currently underway offers potential for sorghum industry in the areas of transgenetics, and the uniform accepted set of guidelines would enable the sale and transfer of new technology hybrids.

The Nebraska Grain Sorghum Producer's Association is working in cooperation with the U.S. Grains Council and the National Grain Sorghum Producers to closely monitor developments with the WTO and are prepared to offer proposals for the further utilization of global agricultural trade.

The following market access issues are of special interest to our producers. Inclusion in minimum access agreements and preferential market access arrangements, the reduction of tariffs, the increase of tariff rate quota levels, and the enforcement of the agreement on the application of sanitary and phytosanitary measures.

Nebraska GSPA supports the specific inclusion of grain sorghum in minimum access agreements. These agreements can provide opportunities in the immediate future for increased exports of U.S. sorghum which is competitive in international markets. Furthermore, as trade restrictions are reduced and/or eliminated through future trade negotiations, minimal market access agreements today provide for possible future foreign market development for U.S. sorghum.

Similarly, the inclusion of grain sorghum and preferential market access agreements is vital. The current preferential market access that the U.S. sorghum has sustained is an example. The benefit of this agreement include market access to U.S. sorghum and the development of foreign market relationships. Spain's internal support for this program is strong, especially among the feed milling industry.

Reduction in tariffs imposed on imported grains and the increase of tariff rate quotas must also be addressed. The GATT negotiations called for the tariffication of all non-tariff trade barriers. Now the next logical step is the reduction of tariffs with the ultimate goal of total tariff elimination. Tariff rate quotas needs to be expanded as to reflect true consumption needs. Some nations such as Thailand and the Philippines have TRQ's that are set too low to meet the needs of their feed grain consumers who would welcome greater access to U.S. grain. An increase in tariff quota levels would lessen the impact of the restrictions imposed by tariffs.

The issues surrounding sanitary and phytosanitary measurements have previously been negotiated, and the WTO's Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures governs the international rules regulating these standards which require that all SPS measures are based on sound science. The sorghum industry supports these agreements, and the international acceptance and enforcement of the agreement through the committee.

On behalf of the sorghum producers in Nebraska, we appreciate the opportunity for this input.

MICHAEL LEPORTE: Either James?

JAMES SCHROEDER: We have a trifecta here Jim, Jim, and Jim. No, I appreciate your comments. I remember when I first moved to Denver, I drove out to see one of my relatives over there around Alma, and he said, well, you want to go out and see my milo? And I said, well I thought cousin Larry said you grew sorghum. It's a joke.