The W.J. Morse Foundation of the American Soybean Association (ASA) has launched an innovative, timely and informative program to educate key sectors on the importance of free trade, particularly soybeans, which are the largest U.S. farm export. Soybeans, soybean meal, and soybean oil exports totaled more than $7 billion last year. This educational program follows recent passage of critical Federal trade legislation.

"On behalf of U.S. soybean producers, I want to express appreciation to Congress for passage of the Trade Act of 2002, and particularly, the Trade Promotion Authority that it granted the Bush Administration for developing new trade agreements," said ASA President Dwain Ford, a soybean producer from Kinmundy, Ill. "Passage of this legislation has been a top priority for the American Soybean Association for several years."

The Trade Opportunities Program, called "TOP," is designed to build upon the success of ASA’s legislative efforts to secure Trade Promotion Authority, which Congress passed and President George W. Bush signed into law on August 6, 2002.

The Philip Morris family of companies’ Shared SolutionsSM Agricultural Initiative provided a grant for the program start-up, and Syngenta Seeds joined the effort as a sponsoring partner, along with ASA, to positively impact the future of U.S. agricultural exports.

According to Katherine Trent, Director of Agricultural Relations at Philip Morris Management Corp., "If you look at all the issues confronting American agriculture today, the area of free trade is certainly among the most important. By supporting ASA’s TOP program, our Shared Solutions initiative is simply fulfilling its mandate to partner where we can to help farmers and ranchers address the concerns that have been identified as the most critical."

TOP features an educational insert that was distributed to all ASA members, and to every member of the United States Congress, accompanied by an ASA-produced multimedia presentation on CD-ROM. Text, photographs and the multimedia presentation, are also available to a worldwide audience on ASA’s web site at www.soygrowers.com/top.

Mark Schmidt, Syngenta Seeds Soybean Product Manager, said, "In the months ahead, as U.S. Trade Representatives complete their work, the United States Congress will be given the opportunity to review new trade agreements. Our hope is that increased knowledge of global trade will lead to decisions that are beneficial to U.S. soybean farmers and to all Americans."