Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, November 30, 1993 TAG: 9311300041
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: B-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By DOUG LESMERISES STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
He addressed about 350 farmers who gathered at a luncheon highlighting the first day of the Virginia Farm Bureau's 68th annual convention; 800 farmers are attending the convention that runs through Thursday at the Roanoke Airport Marriott hotel.
Madigan has owned a home in Fairfax County for more than 20 years and has a daughter who attended Virginia Tech.
An Illinois congressman for 18 years and former ranking Republican on the\ House Agriculture Committee, he said he joined five other former secretaries of agriculture in supporting NAFTA.
The Midwest will reap great rewards from the agreement, and Madigan said his motives have been questioned because of his Illinois roots.
"Ultimately, all of American agriculture benefits from NAFTA," he said. The agreement will eliminate tariffs that add 6 percent to the cost of farm commodities exported to Mexico and 24 percent to the price of Mexican crops sent to the United States.
He said approval of NAFTA was vital to U.S. trade agreements in the works with other nations.
The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, which would lower agricultural subsidies in Europe and the United States, will be a much easier fight for President Clinton now that NAFTA is in the bag, he said.
Europe has "more money to subsidize agriculture, particularly agricultural exports, than we in the United States have or ever will have," Madigan said.
NAFTA showed the rest of the world that President Clinton "can get something done in the Congress," Madigan said.
"And that's a Republican talking about helping a Democrat. But . . . my loyalties are to the U.S. farmers and ranchers."
by CNB