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Oct 08, 2002
The American Soybean Association (ASA) thanked President George W. Bush for his action to move toward settlement of the West Coast port dispute. Yesterday, the White House created a board of inquiry that is to report to the President today about the economic damage resulting from the shutdown.
"ASA has asked President Bush to do everything in his power to resolve this shutdown, and this action is an important first step," said ASA President Dwain Ford, a soybean producer from Kinmundy, Illinois.
The board of inquiry is the first step in the process to invoke the Taft-Hartley Act, which could order both sides back to work and implement an 80-day cooling-off period.
In 2001, 12 percent of U.S. soybean exports moved through West Coast ports. Also of great concern to soybean producers, 50 percent of U.S. pork exports and 25 percent of U.S. poultry exports depend on West Coast ports. Swine and poultry feed account for 75 percent of U.S. soybean meal consumption.
"Soybean producers are hopeful that the shutdown is in its final days, and we will continue to work with the White House and Congress to urge both parties to negotiate a final resolution to this ongoing dispute," Ford concluded.
