ASA Priority Issues

Biodiesel

ASA supports the development of state and federal legislation that promotes biodiesel and biodiesel blends, and strongly urges that all diesel fuel used in the United States be a biodiesel fuel or a biodiesel blend.

To increase utilization of biodiesel, ASA is calling for biodiesel tax incentives, a national energy policy that promotes renewable domestic resources, minimum renewable fuel content requirements that include biodiesel blends, and programs that promote biodiesel blends of 2 percent or higher.

ASA urges the elimination of the 50 percent cap on biodiesel usage for compliance in the federal Energy Policy Act (EPACT), and supports banking and trading of biodiesel credits in the EPACT program.

The Domestic Livestock Industry

ASA strongly supports the U.S. domestic livestock industry as a value-added soybean market. ASA encourages states to use sound science where an environmental review process is used to evaluate livestock facilities, and that petitioners reside within a reasonable proximity of any questioned site.

Transportation Infrastructure

ASA urges the federal government to immediately and actively encourage segments of rail, grain, and agriculture to improve the infrastructure in transporting agriculture commodities to supply deficit areas of the United States, particularly to the Southeastern states.

ASA supports legislative efforts to promote increased competition in the rail industry to foster better service and lower rates, including amendment of the Jones Act so as to allow the shipment of U.S. agricultural commodities on the lowest cost vessels from one U.S. port to another. ASA supports an exemption from the Jones Act for the shipment of bulk agricultural commodities.

DOHA ROUND WTO OBJECTIVES

ASA urges the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Trade Representative and any other relevant agency to be aggressive in investigations, and pursuing where necessary complaints against countries whose tariff structure and/or non-tariff barriers may violate said countries WTO (World Trade Organization) obligations.

ASA supports substantial improvements in market access for soybeans and soybean products, including livestock products, as the top priority of the Doha Development Round negotiating under the WTO.

ASA strongly opposes any reduction commitments or caps on domestic support policies that do not, or only minimally, distort production or trade. Additionally, ASA strongly opposes exempting government supported domestic transportation and marketing subsidy programs in developing countries from disciplines under the WTO.

ASA strongly opposes including in the WTO agreement the precautionary principle or other non-trade concerns that are not based on sound science that could be used as a justification for restricting market access.

Food Aid and the Role of Soy In Confronting AIDS

ASA strongly supports U.S. food aid programs and urges greater emphasis on the role proper nutrition and protein play in combating HIV/AIDS (human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome).

ASA strongly supports U.S. government agencies' efforts to address the HIV/AIDS crisis in developing countries and suggests that policy makers and implementers recognize the role nutrition can play in mitigating the effects of HIV/AIDS on populations in developing countries. ASA calls on the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to increase its nutritional emphasis in dealing with the AIDS pandemic.

Biotechnology & Piracy of Intellectual Properties

ASA strongly supports biotechnology and believes the development of biotechnology enhanced crop varieties and products will benefit farmers, consumers and the environment. Biotechnology is a key tool that will help farmers meet growing world food, health and energy needs.

ASA supports global commercialization and production of biotech soybean varieties provided that U.S. producers are not disadvantaged by business practices compared to foreign competitors.

ASA urges that all legal remedies both in the U.S. and through the appropriate international legal structures be pursued to protect the U.S. farmer from the illegal planting in foreign countries of seed containing patented or licensed biotech traits.