I arguethatleading WTO members, like old EU countries, Japan and USA,are in WTOjust for their own selfishbenefit and not forfree global trade ideals.

In every round of talks, those leading membersbelt the **** out of poor developing nationsforfree market accessforwestern products and services. ThoseWTO leadersusually get theirway.

What do they give in return? Do they give poorcountries the one thing theyimmediately and most desperately need to pull their citizens out of poverty -free access for their agricultural productsto thebig domestic food markets ofEU,Japan and USA? No way.

Instead, EU,Japan and USAcontinue to pay their own farmers huge free cash grants (subsidies) and develop othersneaky policies to lock third worldcountries out of their food markets. How can undeveloped countries ever get a decent standard of living fortheir citizens when the very one thing manycanbest produce-agricultural products -is effectively locked out of mainwestern markets, save formeaninglessscraps?

Take Nigeria for just one example with tens of millions in abject poverty. That's one of many poor countriesblessed with vast natural resources to produce substantial food exports. Yet, Nigeriahas only one export industry and that's itsoil industry for the elite few including its politicians. Remove those EU, Japanese and USAagricultural subsidies and before you couldsay Jack Robinson you'd see big export orientated agricultural projects spring up inNigeria.That meansjobs for the jobless.

In my books,forWestern politicians to pay cold hard cash to farmers in their ownrich countriesfor the purpose of locking outfarm produce frompoor countries is about as morally corrupt as onecan get. It's a subsidy "wall" stained with the blood of countless third world children who die every year because their parents can't get jobs.

InfluentialEU,Japanese and USApoliticians drive that bloody policy just to stay elected onvotes from their farmers. Just what goes on in the head of a politician who sacrifices both third world kids and billions of their own country's tax dollars to stay in political office?

PresidentReagan once said "Tear down that wall Mr Gorbachev."

I say"Teardown thatfarmsubsidywall Mr Bush and Co."

Replying to [Aussie]:Hello Aussie, got one question for you: If US lower the tariff like you want. How is the farmer in US or (people) be able to compete with countries like China and India?

Which in turn, we not compete or produce anything, then there are no job, no money for US citizens,

The real Question is, how do we (US citizens) would be able to buy anything that import(dumping) into US?

uh-oh.. Someone used the D word!.. Now there is gonna be fur flying.

Replying to [Aussie]: While you are at it you might want to address OPEC.

Replying to [Aussie]:

No offence mate. You are not being realistic. Future and Present not the Past must be considered!!!!

Let say if the African Farmers had the advantage, will it be stable enough to produce the next year? For instance, this year the farmers in US lost, farmers go away, mexicans are , giving ways to farmers from Africa. Now, next year the farmers in Africa cannot produce enough crops for the US because there is a drought (Possibility is very hi). And the reason for the drought is because they do not have a good irrigation system. Now the US farmers are gone too, crops price skyrocketed, fat yankees demand to have lettuce in their burgers or else they will sue, lots of legal problems, angry mexicans crossing the borders.......... Who is to blame? The US Government?

If the African farmrs are producing cheap goods with good facilities and stable government. Then Major buyers, retailers will swarm to them like bees to honey. Isnt what american are doing to china now?
Dont you think lobbiest from wal-mart or major retailer store go to Washington to lobby for these farmers?

Now to change the topic in another direction.

I have to said it again. Please do not use sympathy in this kind of discussion. Because, if I sympathize the farmers in Nigeria or some other african countries, but in contrast who is going to sympathize me? It always fog the main questions.

If the market does not allow the farmers to work, why cant the Government of the affected countries make other plans? During the Great Depression of 1929, President Hoover plan constructions works for thousand of workers. After the post-war in Japan, did the Government not created jobs and subsidies to its famers and workers for companies like Mitsubishi to build themselves? Nigeria Government (minus the corruption) should have enough cash and funding from their oil trade to develope infrastructures, schools, factories, homes etc for its people. Where did all the money go? Construction alone gives hope to ppl temporarily, and from there, it will sprout.....Also, has the Nigerian government helps transfer techonolgies and new farming techniques to the farmers? Sending technicians and engineers to developed countires to study new farming techniques? What has been done? What effort are being made? And why am I still hearing famine? It does not make any sense? Do you not think that with an advance farming system, and with the support by the Nigerian government, they can penerate any markets?

If you are talking about fair trade, then I agree with you. US, Japan, including EU are not playing fair by putting high taxes. But the question remains, did the African nations play fair as well? Where has all the donations gone to? Where has all the medical, food, books, machineries gone to? Has the African Nations not being help by the World Banks?

You should post the topic Fair Trade. That is an entire different issue.

Replying to [Foow]:
Right. The average farmer gets little from the government. And if NAIS gets in, itwill put many of the small farmers and homesteaders right out of business.

Unfortunatly, BushCo, the USDA and others, including big ag companies like Monsanto, Cargil and Tyson AND WTO, would like nothing more to see the demise of the small farmer and everything be under the control of Big Ag and governement.

NAIS was put together by the USDA, Monsanto, Tyson, Cargil...etc. The input of no small farmers were asked. In fact, they tried to keep it out of the public, until a small group of us found out about it and strted going public with what we found out. But main stream media still will rarely cover it. And the USDA calls us liars and fear mongerers, but when it comes to quoting their own bogus plan, they can't. Many things have been brought up where we've been told we were wrong. then when we asked why it was in the NAIS draft.....al of a sudden they were tripping over themselves doing damage control.

So, farm subsidies may be there, but don't think the average farmer is getting rich from it. Quite the contratry. Only a select few.