An Incredible Opportunity in 2005
We need your support. This year has been filled with tremendous growth and change, with events that have set the stage for our work in the coming years and strengthened our dedication to the work we believe in—ensuring safe, healthy and affordable food, promoting fair and sustainable trade, and fighting for farming, forestry and fishing policies that protect the environment and support rural communities.

With the current climate in Washington, we will see an intense debate over the next year on national farm policy and international agriculture trade rules. We have an incredible opportunity—right now—to shape the future of food production and rural development in this country and stand in partnership with our colleagues around the world. We need to keep asking people to get involved—building upon the momentum that was so evident this year—and we need to keep asking people for their support.

During this holiday season, we are asking you to help. Your tax-deductible gifts make it possible for us to accomplish so much. Your support today will help us tackle the many new challenges we will face in 2005. With the encouragement and help we receive from people like you, we are going into the next year renewed and ready for the challenges we face.

Please make a tax-deductible gift today at iatp.org/donate.

We appreciate your support, and wish you a happy and peaceful holiday season

—IATP Staff

Looking for Last Minute Holiday Gifts?
It can be challenging to find that perfect holiday gift that fairly rewards workers or farmers, protects the environment, and supports rural development. If you're still searching for last-minute gift ideas, look no further. IATP's gift ideas have something for everyone on your list, including:

The Renewing the Countryside book series. These beautiful books by IATP partner organization Renewing the Countryside share stories of rural renewal through profiles of farmers, artists, entrepreneurs, educators and activists reviving rural communities through innovation and dedication to sustainability. Books profile efforts in Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota and the Southwest. A brand new book looks at agrarian landscapes in both the U.S. and Europe. More information on the books can be found at renewingthecountryside.org. RTC publications can be purchased online at or by calling toll-free (866) 378-0587.

Fair Trade Soccer Balls for the soccer-playing enthusiast in your family. IATP is offering top-of-the-line soccer balls made without child labor under safe and secure working conditions. The soccer balls are made by Talon Sports in Sialkot, Pakistan, a center of soccer ball production. Talon was one of the first sports-ball makers certified by the Fairtrade Labeling Organization. By following fair-trade standards, workers have seen increased wages, health coverage and funds for education. Each ball is $25 plus shipping and taxes. Order five or more, and get them for only $20 each. To order your fair trade soccer ball, contact Candace Falk.

Peace Coffee. Order certified fair trade, organic, shade-grown coffee from IATP's Peace Coffee. By purchasing Peace Coffee grown by farmer cooperatives in Guatemala, Ethiopia, Columbia or Mexico, you are guaranteeing coffee farmers a fair price, helping to support sustainable rural development and getting some great-tasting coffee. To order, visit peacecoffee.com.

Minnesotans Criticize Senator Coleman's Stance on the UN's Annan
A group of prominent Minnesota organizations and citizens sent a letter in December to Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.) criticizing his decision to call for the resignation of United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan in connection with the oil-for-food program. The signatories wrote that they were "deeply troubled" by Coleman's "extreme position" on Annan. Coleman admitted he has no evidence of wrongdoing or impropriety on the part of Annan.

"At this sensitive moment, we should be reinforcing the United Nations as a forum for furthering international security and human rights," said Barbara A. Frey of the Human Rights Program at the University of Minnesota, a signatory of the letter. "Unfortunately, Sen. Coleman has chosen to burn bridges instead of build them, a reckless and ambitious act that puts us at risk as a nation."

"It's disappointing to see Sen. Coleman publicly attack one of the world's most respected leaders at a time when we are asking for greater UN involvement in places like Sudan and Iraq," said IATP President Mark Ritchie, who helped organize the letter. "Leaders from around the world have expressed their support for Annan in light of Coleman's comments. This letter shows that many Minnesotans also don't agree with him."

Prominent signatories to the letter included Arlen Erdahl, former U.S. congressman from Minnesota; Harlan Cleveland, former ambassador to NATO under Pres. Johnson; Norma Rowe, co-president of the United Nations Association of Minnesota; and Don Fraser, former U.S. congressman from Minnesota.

The full letter to Coleman can be read at iatp.org.

Sustaining a Future for Agriculture Around the World
IATP's Trade Information Project in Geneva co-hosted a November conference that brought together different constituencies that work on agriculture and trade to discuss the international dimensions of a just and sustainable food system.

With WTO members agreeing on a framework for continued negotiations, the conference initiated the planning process for strategies and campaigns for the next WTO ministerial in December 2005 in Hong Kong. The conference presented alternative rules to better manage international trade in agricultural commodities and discussed WTO developments with government negotiators in Geneva.

Almost 200 participants attended from around 60 countries representing more than 140 organizations. Participants represented farmer and peasant associations, food workers' unions, environmentalists, consumer groups, development organizations, human rights organizations, church groups, fair trade organizations, women's groups and others around the world.

Details and documents from the conference are available at tradeobservatory.org.

Smart Produce Guide for Parents
Fruits and vegetables provide essential minerals, vitamins and fiber that are critical for growing children and pregnant and nursing women. To maximize health benefits, everyone should try to eat three to five servings of vegetables and two to four servings of fruit each day. On the other hand, produce often contains residues of pesticides—chemicals designed to kill weeds and insects. Pesticide residue levels vary depending on the type of produce and how it's grown.

To help parents make informed decisions when buying produce, IATP's Food and Health Program Scientist Kathleen Schuler has developed the Smart Produce Guide. This guide helps consumers choose fruits and vegetables that have lower residues to minimize pesticide exposure while enjoying the health benefits of fresh produce. It also provides tips on avoiding other contaminants affecting produce and resources on locally-produced and organic foods.

Check out IATP's Smart Produce Guide

IATP President Honored by Minnesota Alliance for Progressive Action
On Dec. 11, the Minnesota Alliance for Progressive Action (MAPA) honored IATP President Mark Ritchie with their Progressive Activist Award. Ritchie was honored at MAPA's 15th Annual Progressive Awards Dinner at the Carpenter's Union Hall in St. Paul for his work at IATP and with National Voice, a non-partisan voter participation effort. Other winners included Minnesota State Sen. Mee Moua and the organizations America Votes and America Coming Together.

For more information about MAPA, visit mapa-mn.org

New Glossary of WTO Ag Terms
The 10-year anniversary of World Trade Organization's Agreement on Agriculture is coming up on Jan. 1, 2005. When reviewing the history and success or failure of the agreement, it's easy to get lost in a befuddling world of arcane trade terminology. We're here to help. If you're baffled by the boxes, terrified by tariffication or stymied by the Special Safeguard, we've put together an easy-to-understand glossary of agricultural trade terms that will help you become an instant expert—or at least to sound like one.

Read IATP's Glossary of WTO agriculture trade terms at Trade Observatory

Improving Transatlantic Relations
In late October, IATP President Mark Ritchie co-chaired with Assistant Secretary of State Tony Wayne a "listening session" on U.S.-European Union trade problems and opportunities with about 30 business, governmental and nongovernmental participants from Minnesota. The Fourth Roundtable on Strengthening Trans Atlantic Economic Relations, hosted at IATP, was initiated by the U.S. Department of State as a result of the U.S.-EU summit in June. IATP is the Trade Working Group U.S. co-chair of the Trans Atlantic Consumer Dialogue (TACD), a consortium of over 60 U.S. and EU consumer and public interest groups that meets annually with U.S. and EU officials.

For more information on the TACD, visit tacd.org.

Strengthening International Food Standards
The Codex Alimentarius Commission was created in 1963 by the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization to develop international food standards and guidelines. The Codex Committee on Food Import/Export Inspection and Certification Systems is currently working to address food safety issues and recalls related to imported food. For a recent meeting by the Codex Committee in Melbourne, Australia, IATP's Steve Suppan wrote two position papers for Consumers International. One paper concerns systems for preventing food contamination and for increasing the speed and thoroughness of food recalls once the origin of contamination has been identified. The second paper is a comment on proposed guidelines for importing country officials to recognize as "equivalent" the food safety measures applied to foods by exporting countries.

Read these position papers at tradeobservatory.org

IATP News is an occasional publication reporting on recent events and activities at the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP). It is sent to board members, supporters, partners and friends. If you want to learn more about any particular item or if you do not want to receive this newsletter, send email to Communications Coordinator Ben Lilliston at blilliston@iatp.org or call: 612-870-3416. Your comments and suggestions are appreciated.

Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP)
Mark Ritchie, President
2105 First Avenue South Minneapolis, Minnesota 55404 USA
Tel. 1 (612) 870-0453 Fax. 1 (612) 870-4846
Email: iatp@iatp.org Web: iatp.org