IMPACT OF COMMON MARKET REGULATIONS ON EXPORT OF UNITED STATES POULTRY NEW SENATE OFFICE BUILDING, Washington, D.C., Tuesday, February 5, 1963. The conference was called to order at 10 a.m., Senator Harry F. Byrd presiding. Present: Senator Harry F. Byrd of Virginia. Senator Herman E. Talmadge of Georgia. Senator Warren G. Magnuson of Washington. Senator J. Glenn Beall of Maryland. Senator Sam J. Ervin, Jr., of North Carolina. Senator Ralph W. Yarborough of Texas. Senator Clair Engle of California. Representative Armistead I. Selden, Jr., of Alabama. Representative George Huddleston, Jr., of Alabama. Representative Joe R. Pool of Texas. Representative Charles L. Weltner of Georgia. Representative David N. Henderson of North Carolina. Representative Howard W. Smith of Virginia. Representative Alton Lennon of North Carolina. Representative W. E. (Bill) Brock of Tennessee. Representative John J. McFall of California. Representative D. R. (Billy) Matthews of Florida. Representative E. L. Forrester of Georgia. Representative Richard H. Poff of Virginia. Representative Watkins M. Abbitt of Virginia. Representative Harris B. McDowell, Jr., of Delaware. Representative Jamie L. Whitten of Mississippi. Representative Ralph F. Beermann of Nebraska. Representative Donald H. Clausen of California. Representative Basil L. Whitener of North Carolina. Representative W. M. Tuck of Virginia. Representative Robert T. Ashmore of South Carolina. Representative W. D. Mills of Arkansas. Representative Clifford G. McIntire of Maine. Representative Rogers C. Morton of Maryland. Senator BYRD. It gives me great pleasure as chairman of the Senate Finance Committee to welcome to this conference such a large number of Congressmen and also of Senators, including many who are not members of the Senate Finance Committee. This indicates the great interest that is being taken throughout the country with respect to the outrageous restrictions that have been imposed by members of the Common Market on the importation of poultry. Unless changes are made, this will practically destroy all exporting of poultry, and it will be a very serious blow to agriculture, and we are holding this meeting for the purpose of conferring with the Secretary of Agriculture. At the request of Mr. Parker, I called Mr. Herter and invited him to this poultry conference. Mr. Herter said unfortunately he had another engagement and was afraid that he could not come, but that he had discussed the problem with Secretary of Agriculture Freeman, and had given him all available information. Mr. Herter said he had expected that the gate prices would be changed by the 11th of February by recommendation from the Commission to the ministers-if there is a meeting of the ministers. He said he had previously had a satisfactory talk in Brussels with the person in charge of agriculture, and that he wanted the Senator to be advised that he was doing all he could. We are asking the Secretary of Agriculture to take the lead in the efforts on the part of the United States to cancel these unreasonable restrictions. Germany has gone so far as to contemplate requiring that all poultry shipped into Germany shall come in by airline, and this is in addition to an exorbitant tariff that has already been placed upon the poultry imports. So the purpose of the meeting, as I have said, is to go over the situation with the Secretary of Agriculture. And I feel confident that measures will be taken to do all we can to protect the interests of agriculture and poultry, and especially poultry, which has been first, apparently, for action adverse to us. And so I present Mr. Paul Williams, executive secretary, Virginia State Poultry Federation. STATEMENT OF PAUL WILLIAMS, EXECUTIVE SECRETARY, VIRGINIA STATE POULTRY FEDERATION, RICHMOND, VA. Mr. WILLIAMS. I would like to introduce Mr. Joseph O. Parker, chairman of the International Trade Development Committee and counsel for Institute of American Poultry Industries, who will handle the presentation for the poultry industry. Senator BYRD. We are glad to have you, Mr. Parker. STATEMENT OF JOSEPH O. PARKER, CHAIRMAN, INTERNATIONAL TRADE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, AND COUNSEL, INSTITUTE OF AMERICAN POULTRY INDUSTRIES Mr. PARKER. Mr. Chairman, on behalf of the poultry industry, I want to express our appreciation for the opportunity to meet with you and the other Members of Congress here today to discuss the serious problem confronting the poultry industry because of the protectionist policies being adopted by the European Common Market. This is a very serious problem, and we hope it will command your serious consideration. We have a few short presentations which will outline the problem, and we hope point up the need for more effective action. It is my pleasure to present the first witness, Mr. R. D. Chumney, commissioner of agriculture of the State of Virginia, who has made a study of the problem at the request of the Governor of Virginia. This presentation he will make not only applies to Virginia but to every poultry-producing area in the Nation. It illustrates the impact of the Common Market regulations on our total economy. STATEMENT OF R. D. CHUMNEY, COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE, VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Mr. CHUMNEY. Senator Byrd, distingusihed Member of Congress and friends of agriculture, I wish to express my appreciation to all Members of Congress present, on behalf of the Virginia Industry of Agriculture and members of the poultry industry, for taking your valuable time to listen to our problems. We have a serious situation facing our poultry industry. The recent loss of our export poultry sales to Common Market countries has gravitated the seriousness of the situation to where it is now a crisis. Even though I am speaking for the Virginia poultry industry, the problem that I am talking about is applicable to the major production areas of the Nation and involves many States. To save the committee time, I would like to present the following charts which will illustrate the problems. Members of the committee will note that chart I illustrates the importance of the poultry industry to the total farm income in our State. Cash receipts from poultry and eggs are about a $70-million business and represents 19.2 percent of all cash receipts from agricultural products. This illustrates the importance of the poultry industry to the economy of agriculture and what the potential effect may be if the loss of our export sales are not regained. Chart II illustrates that 13 percent of the total poultry exported from the United States to Common Market countries came from Virginia. This 13 percent is valued at about $7%1⁄2 million. This chart also illustrates that Virginia is an important poultry export State and 5 94458-63- -2 |