U.S. Agriculture UndersecretaryDaniel Amstutz said he was "totally sympathetic" with U.S. wood
producers' desire to have their exports eligible for government
credit guarantees.
    But he told the Senate Appropriations Agriculture
subcommittee that including wood products in the department's
short- or intermediate-term export guarantee programs would
conflict with U.S. multilateral trade obligations.
    Currently, U.S. wood products are not eligible for
government export credit guarantee because they are considered
"manufactured products," Amstutz said.
    He said USDA had devoted an "enormous amount" of time to
considering making wood products eligible for the guarantees
and that Congress was considering a measure to do so.
 Reuter
