US warning to AWB on free trade

Tuesday, 7 March, 2006 - 21:00
THE powerful United States wheat lobby group has urged the Bush administration to step up pressure on Australia to dismantle its wheat trading monopoly as Trade Minister Mark Vaile prepares for talks with his US counterpart to review the free trade agreement. Alan Tracey, president of US Wheat Associates, called on the US trade negotiators to use discussion of the agreement’s first year of operation to make it clear a continuation of single-desk marketing of Australia wheat was unacceptable.