April 27,2004

Preliminary Report on Brazil's Challenge to U.S. Cotton Subsidies

M E M O R A N D U M

To: Reporters and Editors
Re: Preliminary report on Brazil’s challenge to U.S. cotton subsidies
Da: Tuesday, April 27, 2004

Sen. Chuck Grassley today made the following statement concerning the preliminary report of the World Trade Organization regarding Brazil’s challenge to U.S. cotton subsidies.

“The report released today by the WTO is confidential. However, press reports indicate thatBrazil’s challenge to U.S. cotton subsidies was successful on several points. This raises a lot ofimportant issues about the U.S. cotton program which deserve review.

“I understand that this is a preliminary report, subject to appeal, so the die is certainly not caston these issues. But in the end, we need to keep the big picture in mind, and that is to create a morelevel playing field in the international market for U.S. farmers through the successful conclusion ofWTO agricultural talks.”