By Deborah Charles
SHAKOPEE, Minn. (Reuters) - President Clinton took his campaign for freer trade with China to America's heartland on Friday, standing in a barnyard to tell some Minnesota farmers how they would benefit from the trade legislation.
With the clock ticking down to a vote on China trade legislation, Clinton is increasing his lobbying efforts. He spent the day on Friday in Ohio and Minnesota preaching the virtues of granting China permanent trading status.
Clinton, who faces an uphill battle in getting the House of Representatives to approve the legislation, stood on a stage ringed by bales of straw as he spoke to several hundred farmers at a medium-sized family farm in Shakopee.
After admiring the soybeans and cattle on the farm, Clinton urged farmers to talk to their Congressmen and Senators and ask them to support granting permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) status to China.
"The biggest benefit...will probably go to the agricultural sector in economic terms," Clinton said to a few hundred farmers and officials standing in the sun in the barnyard.
"We are the world's largest exporter of agricultural products," he said. "The magnitude of the Chinese market virtually defies the imagination."
The House is scheduled to vote the week of May 22 on PNTR for China, which would ensure U.S. companies benefit from Clinton's landmark trade agreement with Beijing. The Senate is seen voting in early June and passage is virtually assured.
PNTR is aimed at increasing U.S. access to China's markets and paving the way for its entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Boost To Farmers Claimed
Secretary of Agriculture Daniel Glickman noted that the opening up of China was key for American farmers, who have been suffering from low prices and sluggish exports.
"It offers a great opportunity to turn this agriculture economy around," he said. "(China) is the largest market in the world and I think it provides a great opportunity." Dallas Bohnsack, who farms 400 acres of mainly corn and soybeans, voiced his support for the deal which he said will help level the playing field for all kinds of farmers.
"Currently when I try to export my corn, I'm forced to compete with corn that is subsidized by the Chinese government. No matter how hard I work, or how much I cut my costs, I simply cannot compete with subsidized corn," he said. "This agreement with China will eliminate these subsidies."
Glickman said Clinton came to Minnesota because of the importance of the deal to the agricultural sector and because several lawmakers in the area are still undecided on the vote.
"There are still some undecided rural and farm state members (of Congress)," Glickman said. "It's got high stakes for agriculture...over all agriculture is probably more unanimous of its support of PNTR than any other industry."
Earlier in the day, Clinton went to Ohio, to the district of undecided Democratic Rep. Tom Sawyer where he met local business and union leaders to discuss the trade deal.
Sawyer, has supported trade deals like NAFTA in the past, has many constituents who oppose the legislation.
Clinton Steps Up Lobbying
Clinton, who has been lobbying lawmakers for weeks, said on Thursday he didn't have enough votes for passage yet, but thought they would come through
A Reuters poll showed Friday that Clinton is still 56 votes short of the 218 needed to ensure passage in the House.
But administration officials were sounding more optimistic on Friday. In a sentiment echoed by other officials, Glickman told reporters: "I think it's tight but generally it's going in the direction (of a victory). I think we'll win this vote."
Clinton has been fighting to woo Democrats willing to vote yes for PNTR. Many Democratic lawmakers oppose the legislation because of concerns over China's labor and human rights record and heavy pressure from unions worried about job losses.
The trade deal with China calls on Beijing to open a range of markets from agriculture to telecommunications. In exchange, the White House wants Congress to grant China PNTR instead of current trade relations, which require an annual review.
Clinton has argued that opening up to China is the best way to help ensure the labor and rights situation improves in China, since Beijing would be held accountable by international organizations like the WTO.:
