Minnesota Session Laws - 1985, Regular Session

  

                         Laws of Minnesota 1985 

                       RESOLUTION 4-H.F.No. 1093 
 A resolution memorializing the President and Secretary 
of Agriculture of the United States to require the 
government of Canada to comply with the fair trade 
regulations on hogs, or impose quotas and strict 
tariffs on Canadian hog imports. 
    WHEREAS, large numbers of swine from Canada are presently 
being marketed at terminal livestock markets in Minnesota; and 
    WHEREAS, the influx of Canadian swine is largely a result 
of the very strong United States dollar in relation to the 
Canadian dollar; and 
    WHEREAS, Canada subsidizes Canadian hog farmers through 
reduced freight tariffs, favorable credit terms, provincial and 
federal direct subsidies, and subsidized feed supplies; and 
    WHEREAS, the market price for hogs produced in Minnesota is 
severely depressed because of unfair competition from Canadian 
hog producers; and 
    WHEREAS, Canadian policies toward imported hogs are much 
more strict than United States policies toward the import of 
Canadian hogs; and 
    WHEREAS, Canadian requirements concerning the use of 
antibiotics in livestock feed permit the inclusion of several 
antibiotics, including chloranphenical, in swine feed, with 
potentially detrimental effects on the health of the American 
public; and 
    WHEREAS, the influx of swine from Canada has disrupted 
normal marketing practices and eliminated or substantially 
lowered profit margins by Minnesota hog producers; and 
    WHEREAS, Minnesota pork producers are already hard pressed 
by domestic economic conditions and many may be forced out of 
family farming by unfair competition from Canadian hog 
producers; and 
    WHEREAS, the economic failure of Minnesota farm families 
will result in the financial collapse of even more businesses in 
small towns; and 
    WHEREAS, allowing Canada to violate the rules of fair trade 
and to continue in their discriminatory practices establishes a 
bad precedent and will send wrong signals to our other trading 
partners; and 
    WHEREAS, fair trade is the responsibility of both nations; 
NOW, THEREFORE, 
    BE IT RESOLVED that the United States must insist on fair 
and equitable trade regulations with Canada.  
    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that if measures of persuasion and 
reasoning fail to bring about free trade that the United States 
should impose import quotas or strict tariffs on Canadian swine 
to preserve an equitable and fair trade environment for the hog 
producers of this state and nation. 
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of State of 
Minnesota be instructed to transmit copies of this resolution to 
the President of the United States, the United States Secretary 
of Agriculture, and Minnesota's Senators and Representatives in 
Congress. 
    Approved May 8, 1985