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by Seth Teter and Joe Cornely

Frustrating and disappointing is how American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman described the progress made during the Doha Round of the World Trade Organization talks in Hong Kong.

"It is frustrating that the European Union and other countries, unwilling to advance meaningful agricultural reform, have delayed negotiations," Stallman said in a statement. "Farm Bureau remains committed to achieving significant progress in market access. Opening markets is the only way to achieve real trade liberalization."

After failing to reach an agreement, the ministerial set an April 30 deadline for countries to come up with a plan to expand agricultural market access.

"Even without the breakthrough we hoped for in agriculture market access this week, though, we did agree to eliminate export subsidies by 2013 and remove many of those subsidies well before that," U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman told reporters.

The United States had wanted to eliminate export subsidies by 2010, but agreed to the later date because "it was more important that we had a date that is certain and predictable than continuing to argue over this issue going into the new year," according to Portman.

The Ohio Farm Bureau Federation (OFBF) sent three delegates to Hong Kong "to respond to proposals and developments as they happen," according to Constance Jackson, OFBF vice president of agricultural ecology.

Jackson, OFBF treasurer Brent Porteus, and state board member Sparky Weilnau were able to send messages in real-time to U.S. negotiators and foreign officials. Waiting until the talks were over would be too late, Jackson said.

OFBF's main message was that the talks should remain focused on market access issues. Jackson called the attempts of negotiators from the European Union to move the discussions to side issues such as food aid a "diversionary tactic."

The OFBF representatives also met with governments and farm groups from other nations to share views on a variety of farm and trade matters. OFBF joined Farm Bureaus from Iowa and California, 14 U.S. commodity groups and the American Farm Bureau at the talks.

AFBF trade specialist Rosmarie Watkins said with little accomplished on market access at the meeting, progress in the coming months is even more important.

"Our future is in exporting and we need to open up new markets. Our tariffs are already low and we need to bring down tariffs in other parts of the world so we have easier access and better access to those markets. And the WTO, because there are 148 countries involved, is the best place to do that," she said.

She said the United States is unwilling to agree to specific numbers on domestic support if there is nothing in the market access package.

"If the European Union isn't moving on market access, why should we," she said.

Jackson agreed that Ohio farmers have always and will continue to depend on export markets. She added, because these talks will greatly influence the writing of the next U.S. farm bill, "We have to make sure Ohio farmers' interests are protected."

Caption: AFBF President Bob Stallman responds to questions about U.S. farm policy to the Japanese farm organization Zenchu. Seated to his left, OFBF Trustee Sparky Weilnau and Treasurer Brent Porteus offer their support. Photo by Constance Cullman Jackson