U.S. Trade Representative ClaytonYeutter said the United States and Argentina have settled a 
case brought by the U.S. soybean crushing industry alleging
unfair subsidies to Argentina's crushing industry.
    Speaking to an Agribusiness Education forum here late
yesterday, Yeutter said the case was resolved at a meeting with
Argentine Agriculture Secretary Ernesto Figuerras during a
trade ministers' meeting in New Zealand last week.
    Under a verbal understanding between the two ministers,
Argentina will soon abolish export taxes on soybeans and
products, U.S. and Argentine officials said.
    The U.S. case brought by the U.S. National Soybean
Processors Association alleged Argentina, through differential
export taxes, implicitly subsidized domestic soybean crushers.
    The U.S. crushing industry, in its complaint under Section
301 of trade law, said higher Argentine export taxes on
soybeans than on products encourage the export of products and
represented an unfair trade practice.
    Yeutter told Figuerras that all agencies of the U.S.
government supported the U.S. complaint and unless Argentina
took steps to eliminate the taxes, the United States would
consider taking further action in the case, U.S. and Argentine
officials said.
    An Argentine official here said no timetable was given for
removal of the Argentine export taxes.
 Reuter
