US Farm Bill: Agriculture-related policy making in the US

On 23 September, South Centre through its trade for development programme organized jointly with ForumDemocracy, an NGO-Think tank based in Washington DC, a meeting with some agriculture and dispute settlement delegations on agriculture-related policy making in the US.

The 2 experts Robert Stumberg and Peter Riggs made a presentation on two aspects of the Farm Bill:

1. New provisions in the 2008 U.S. Farm Bill that should be analyzed in the context of WTO compatibility and WTO negotiations
2. What's already been adjudicated on cotton?

Over 20 delegates participated in the meeting which covered several topics, including among others, key components and sectors protected under the Farm Bill and the link between negotiations on reduction of subsidies and current US support levels.

Ms. Aileen Kwa, Coordinator of the Trade for Development Programme chaired the meeting.