ATA’s Agricultural Conference Endorses Cafta

merican Trucking Associations said its Agricultural and Food Transporters Conference has endorsed the enactment of the Central American Free Trade Agreement now pending in Congress.

"We believe these comprehensive agreements, which include all sectors of agriculture with no exceptions, will expand U.S. agricultural exports and put U.S. agriculture on an equal footing with our competitors in these markets," said Greg Owen, the conference’s chairman.

"Expanded exports and free trade are good business for commercial transporters of agricultural and food commodities," Owen said in a statement on ATA’s Truckline Web site.

The proposed Cafta agreement would create a free trade area covering the United States, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua.

A recently completed free trade agreement with the Dominican Republic will be submitted for approval by Congress along with Cafta, AFTC's statement said.

The Agricultural and Food Transporters Conference, founded in 1995, represents commercial transporters of agricultural commodities, food, forest and mineral products.