Agriculture on the Table at Trade Talks in Mexico

Protesters gathered yesterday around the heavily guarded convention center in Cancun where the latest WTO meeting is taking place. The agricultural subsidies of developed countries is at the top of many representatives' agenda. Negotiators from Mexico to Australia are arguing that the US and the European Union's agricultural subsidies hurt their farmers by 'artificially' reducing the price of the rich country's crops in the world market. US Trade representative Robert Zoellick has expressed his desire to see "ambitious results" during these rounds, but not everyone is as optimistic. The approval of an increase in agricultural subsidies in the US last year incensed many throughout the world, lowering hopes that progress would soon be made in this area. The US wants greater access to markets in developing countries, but concessions coming from either side seem distant. Many economists argue that a reasonable agreement would greatly increase international trade, and generate more prosperity globally, but most importantly, they say, it would especially help those that have been excluded from receiving the benefits of globalization – the poor. – YaleGlobal