Dan Glickman and U.S. Trade Representative
                                                               
                                           Release No.  0403.98
                                                               
Joint Statement
                               by
Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman and U.S. Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky
        on Efforts to Resolve U.S.-Canada Border Dispute
                        October 2, 1998
                                                               
                                                               
     Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman and U.S. Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky
announced today that the United States and Canada have agreed to engage in intensive
discussions on a wide range of issues affecting farmers and ranchers in both countries.  The
discussions will begin next week with a view toward finding expeditious solutions to these
issues. 

     Secretary Glickman and Ambassador Barshefsky issued the following joint statement:

     "The Administration is very concerned about the underlying severe economic conditions
that persist in many areas of the U.S. agricultural industry.   The Administration is also highly
concerned about Canada's agricultural trade policies and practices.  We have said again and
again that Canada must address these issues in an open and constructive manner.

     "We believe that Canada's decision to open a comprehensive dialogue with us on
agricultural trade issues and to suspend its WTO and NAFTA trade actions is a constructive step
toward resolving our concerns.

     "We have had an on-going dialogue with members of Congress and Governors from a
number of States where agricultural producers have been particularly hard hit, and we are also
encouraged by their actions to suspend a series of additional inspection procedures as we
undertake this dialogue with Canadian officials."

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