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Tariffs Sought on Canada Wheat by Staff News Briefs, Capital Press - September 20, 2002

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) -- North Dakota's Wheat commission, in petitions filed with two federal agencies, demanded that tariffs be imposed on Canadian wheat imports.

The move follows a February ruling by the U.S. trade ambassador, Robert Zoellick, that the Canadian Wheat Board provides unfair competition to American wheat farmers because of subsidized rail shipping rates and Canadian government backing.

Despite the ruling, Zoellick has not ordered tariffs on Canadian wheat, despite frequent pleas from North Dakota farmers and officials that he do so. The Wheat Commission's filings, submitted to the U.S. Commerce Department and the International Trade Commission, will try to accomplish a similar result.

"If Canada's government monopoly is allowed to continue to take wheat from Canadian farmers and sell it for whatever price it wishes to set, while we attempt to sell our wheat on the open market for fair value, the U.S. farmer will be left behind," said the commission's chairman, Velva farmer Larry Lee.