Washington, DC  -  A recent ruling by the Switzerland-based World Trade Organization (WTO) could hurt Alabama cotton farmers and threaten the growth of American agriculture exports across the globe, Congressman Mike Rogers said today in a letter to U.S. trade representative Ambassador Richard Zoellick.

“Our farm policies are fair and abide by the WTO rules,” Rogers wrote to Zoellick. “The United States should not be punished by the WTO because we support our farmers…It is imperative that you make a vigorous and sustained effort to ensure that our cotton farmers are allowed to continue to market their product.”

Rogers said Alabama farmers simply want a fair and level playing field on which to compete, and that U.S. support for cotton farmers is vital in lieu of unfair agriculture trade practices by other countries.

“Under the WTO rules, countries are permitted to support their farmers in ways that are the least trade distorting….As you know, world trade in agriculture is highly competitive and many countries regularly place barriers against American farm products.”

Rogers, a member of the House Committee on Agriculture, repeated his commitment to growing Alabama agriculture exports around the world, and called upon Zoellick to do everything possible to increase access to overseas markets.

“Gaining access to world markets is critical to our economy,” Rogers added, saying he would discuss the issue further with Third District farmers at the next meeting of his Agriculture Advisory Committee, which is expected to meet again this fall.