Made in the USA…or is it?

A Nebraskan’s View by: Nebraska’s Senator Ben Nelson

As you sit down with your family for dinner each night ready to eat your home cooked meal, do you ever think…am I supporting my country? Or, I wonder where this asparagus was grown? You probably don’t. Americans are used to showing their support for America by displaying flags and showing yellow ribbons to support our troops. We can do more to support our country. How can you support your country while buying corn at your local farmer’s market, shopping in a grocery store, sitting down to dinner, or buying salmon at the seafood market? Simply, buy American.

Currently, the most pressing issue facing the agriculture sector is the predicted agriculture trade deficit we are facing. For the first time in a generation we have had two months in the same calendar year where the agriculture trade has dipped into deficit, August and June of 2004.

The U.S. is still the world's biggest agricultural exporter. But the agricultural-trade surplus is evaporating so quickly that some economists are quietly speculating that the sector might generate an annual trade deficit as soon as the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2005. That would be the first since 1959, when postwar Europe reemerged as a major farm power.

So what are we doing? I’ve been pushing the USDA and the White House to reopen our beef markets. I’ve been working to open new markets for hard white wheat, sugar beets, dry beans, and to support policies that foster those sectors.

But the bottom line is that most Americans can’t tell you where the vegetables they ate last night came from – here or abroad. It’s a reminder that we need to institute some sort of Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) program. We need to market OUR products – like we did after the great depression and to save our automobile industry in the 70’s with the “Buy American” slogan, we should encourage Americans to “Eat American” products.

Imported agriculture products are on the rise and we need to do something to protect our producers. COOL would let Americans know if their corn was grown here or in Mexico, or if their peppers are American or Dutch. I encourage all Americans and more importantly, all Nebraskans to contact their lawmakers and let them know they support COOL. It is so important, at times like these to support our country in every way we can. Our economy would benefit, our great state of Nebraska will benefit and ultimately every American can benefit by knowing they are supporting their country. Made in the USA? Absolutely! Please remember, buy American products.

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	Column	November 19, 2004
Made in the USA…or is it? A Nebraskan’s View by: Nebraska’s Senator Ben Nelson As you sit down with your family for dinner each night ready to eat your home cooked meal, do you ever think…am I supporting my country? Or, I wonder where this asparagus was grown? You probably don’t. Americans are used to showing their support for America by displaying flags and showing yellow ribbons to support our troops. We can do more to support our country. How can you support your country while buying corn at your local farmer’s market, shopping in a grocery store, sitting down to dinner, or buying salmon at the seafood market? Simply, buy American. Currently, the most pressing issue facing the agriculture sector is the predicted agriculture trade deficit we are facing. For the first time in a generation we have had two months in the same calendar year where the agriculture trade has dipped into deficit, August and June of 2004. The U.S. is still the world's biggest agricultural exporter. But the agricultural-trade surplus is evaporating so quickly that some economists are quietly speculating that the sector might generate an annual trade deficit as soon as the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2005. That would be the first since 1959, when postwar Europe reemerged as a major farm power. So what are we doing? I’ve been pushing the USDA and the White House to reopen our beef markets. I’ve been working to open new markets for hard white wheat, sugar beets, dry beans, and to support policies that foster those sectors. But the bottom line is that most Americans can’t tell you where the vegetables they ate last night came from – here or abroad. It’s a reminder that we need to institute some sort of Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) program. We need to market OUR products – like we did after the great depression and to save our automobile industry in the 70’s with the “Buy American” slogan, we should encourage Americans to “Eat American” products. Imported agriculture products are on the rise and we need to do something to protect our producers. COOL would let Americans know if their corn was grown here or in Mexico, or if their peppers are American or Dutch. I encourage all Americans and more importantly, all Nebraskans to contact their lawmakers and let them know they support COOL. It is so important, at times like these to support our country in every way we can. Our economy would benefit, our great state of Nebraska will benefit and ultimately every American can benefit by knowing they are supporting their country. Made in the USA? Absolutely! Please remember, buy American products. ###