ORGANIZERS:

TITLE: NAFTA at Year 10: Impacts and Issues for Canada, Mexico and the United States

ABSTRACT:During the ten years since the implementation of The North American Free Trade Agreement beginning January 1, 1994, U.S., Canadian, and Mexican agricultural interests have faced both new opportunities and challenges. Agricultural economists from throughout North America will assess the impacts of NAFTA on North American agriculture and share their observations in this symposium. Lessons learned from these recent experiences in free trade were highlighted, examined, and discussed, and the implications for applied research and extension education program development were discussed.

MODERATOR:
Lynn Kennedy, Louisiana State University

PARTICIPANTS:
Richard Gray and Hartley Furtan, University of Saskatchewan
"The Impacts of NAFTA on Canada: Opportunities and Challanges"

Jaime Malaga, Eduardo Segarra, Texas Tech University, and Nicolas Guiterrez, Monterry Tech
"Competition Issues in Mexico Resulting from NAFTA"

Parr Rosson and Flynn Adcock, Texas A&M University
"The United States and North America Free Trade"

Discussant:
Lynn Kennedy, Louisiana State University

FORMAT:Gray and Furtan discussed the major growth areas related to U.S./Canada agricultural trade, areas of trade friction, and potential for future trade disruption. Malaga, Segarra, and Guiterrez outlined the new Mexican 'agricultural armor' program, focusing on key elements that may enhance or inhibit trade with NAFTA partners. Emerging issues related to the anti-dumping process in Mexico were discussed. Rosson and Adcock provided an overview of the 22-point BPAP and its potential impact on trade. Kennedy briefly summarized the symposium and identified the major implications for the development of applied research and extension programs.