United States-Dominican
Republic-Central America
Free Trade Agreement
State Fact
Sheets
March 2005
Texas Farmers Will Benefit.
Exports of farm products help boost Texas’ farm
prices and income. Such exports help support about 53,720 jobs both on and off
the farm in food processing, storage, and transportation. In 2003, Texas’ farm
cash receipts were $15.3 billion, and agricultural exports were estimated at
$3.4 billion, putting its reliance on agricultural exports at 22 percent.
Implementation of the U.S.-Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade
Agreement (DR-CAFTA) will increase Texas’ exports of agricultural products.
Texas Benefits From the U.S.- DR-CAFTA Free Trade
Agreement (FTA)
Despite over $1.6 billion in U.S. farm exports in
2003, DR-CAFTA countries continue to impose high tariffs and other barriers on
most agricultural products, including Texas’ key exports. A primary U.S.
objective was to change the "one-way-street" of duty-free access currently
enjoyed by most DR-CAFTA exports into a "two-way-street" that provides U.S.
suppliers with access to these markets and levels the playing field with other
competitors. This objective was achieved. Over 50 agricultural industry and farm
groups, including the American Farm Bureau support the FTA.
Beef.
Providing over one-half of the state’s farm cash
receipts ($7.8 billion) and as the nation’s 3rd largest exporter of
live animals and meat, Texas cattle and calve producers benefit from the FTA.
- Current import duties on U.S. beef exports
are as high as 30 percent, and the WTO permits duties as high as 79 percent.
- Duties on the products most important to the
U.S. beef industry – Prime and Choice cuts – will be eliminated immediately
in Central American countries, while the Dominican Republic will establish a
zero duty TRQ of 1,100 metric tons which expands annually as duties are
eliminated.
- Some immediate duty-free access will be
provided by certain countries on other beef cuts through an initial TRQ
totaling 1,165 metric tons, expanding annually until duties are fully
phased-out.
- Duties currently applied to other beef
products and beef offals will be phased-out in 5 to 10 years.
- DR-CAFTA countries are working toward the
recognition of the U.S. meat inspection and certification systems in order
to facilitate U.S. exports.
- The American Meat Institute, the National
Cattlemen’s Beef Association, the National Renderers Association, and the
U.S. Meat Export Federation have expressed support publicly for the DR-CAFTA
FTA.
Cotton.
As the nation’s #1 exporter of cotton and with farm
cash receipts totaling $1.3 billion, Texas cotton farmers will benefit from the
FTA.
- The FTA will lock-in immediately zero
tariffs for markets worth over $73.1 million to U.S. cotton suppliers.
- Under the WTO, DR-CAFTA countries could
raise duties on cotton to 35 to 60 percent, depending on the country.
Poultry.
Providing the 4th largest source of state
farm cash receipts at over $1 billion, Texas poultry producers will benefit from
the FTA.
- U.S. poultry exporters currently face duties
as high as 164 percent on both fresh and frozen products, and the WTO
permits duties as high as 250 percent.
- Each DR-CAFTA country will provide immediate
duty-free access on chicken leg quarters, a product where the United States
is the world’s most competitive exporter, through country-specific TRQs that
expand annually as duties are eliminated in 17 to 20 years.
- Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic will
establish duty-free TRQs for chicken leg quarters totaling 850 metric tons,
each expanding by 10 percent annually. The other four Central American
countries will establish a total regional duty-free TRQ of 21,810 metric
tons (with individual country minimum quota levels). After year 12, the TRQ
quantity will be no less than 5 percent of regional chicken production.
- Duties on poultry products such as wings,
breast meat and mechanically de-boned poultry meat will be reduced more
quickly, with many eliminated within 10 years.
- DR-CAFTA countries are working toward the
recognition of the U.S. meat inspection and certification systems in order
to facilitate U.S. exports.
- The National Chicken Council, the USA
Poultry and Egg Export Council, and the National Turkey Federation have
expressed support publicly for the DR-CAFTA FTA.
Dairy.
Providing the 5th largest source of farm cash receipts, Texas
dairy producers benefit from the FTA.
- U.S. dairy exporters currently face duties
as high as 60 percent, and the WTO permits duties as high as 100 percent.
- Each country will establish duty-free TRQs
for certain dairy products totaling over 10,000 metric tons across the six
countries – and each will receive the same level of TRQ access for dairy
products entering the United States.
- TRQs will grow by 5 percent per year for the
Central American countries and 10 percent per year for the Dominican
Republic, with certain dairy products subject to safeguards during the
phase-out period.
- All Central American and Dominican duties
will be eliminated within 20 years, with duties on some dairy products
eliminated earlier.
- The National Milk Producers Federation, the
U.S. Dairy Export Council, the Grocery Manufacturers of America, and the
National Food Processors Association have expressed support publicly for the
DR-CAFTA FTA.
Corn.
As the nation’s 7th largest exporter of
feed grains, Texas corn producers benefit from the FTA.
- U.S. corn exporters face duties up to 35 percent, and the WTO permits
duties as high as 75 percent.
Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic will eliminate their duty on
yellow corn immediately. The other countries will provide preferential
access through individual duty-free TRQs totaling 1,151,259 metric tons
initially, growing by 5 percent per year as the over-quota duties are phased
out over 15 years (10 years in the case of Guatemala).
All currently applied duties on corn
products (including corn flour, corn gluten feed, corn oil and high fructose
corn syrup) will be phased-out in 15 years.
The Corn Refiners Association, the National Corn Growers Association,
the National Grain and Feed Association, the National Grains Trade Council,
the North American Export Grain Association, the U.S. Grains Council, and
the North American Millers Association have expressed support publicly for
the DR-CAFTA FTA.
Rice.
With $82 million in farm cash receipts, Texas rice
producers benefit from the FTA.
- U.S. rice exports face DR-CAFTA duties up to 60 percent, and the WTO
permits duties as high as 90 percent.
Each DR-CAFTA country will establish zero duty TRQs for milled rice, and
rough rice in all except the Dominican Republic (which will have a TRQ for
brown rice).
In the first year of the FTA, the TRQ access will total over 400,000
metric tons immediately and will grow through the tariff phase-out period.
The USA Rice Federation and U.S. Rice Producers Association have
expressed support publicly for DR-CAFTA FTA.
Sugar Production in
Texas - Map (.pdf)
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DR-CAFTA
State Fact Sheets
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Last modified:
Tuesday, May 02, 2006 |