Dr. Won W. Koo, Professor and Director of the Center for Agricultural Policy and Trade Studies, North Dakota State University, and Dr. G. Edward Schuh, Professor and Director of the Freeman Center for International Economic Policy, University of Minnesota, organized a conference, Agricultural Competitiveness and Change under Globalization, held October 11-12, 2004, at the Ramada Plaza Suites and Conference Center in Fargo, North Dakota. Speakers included Senators Byron Dorgan and Kent Conrad of North Dakota, leaders from agribusinesses and farm groups, government officials, and top economists from universities across the country. The conference focused on the effects of globalization on U.S. agriculture, with attention given to trade negotiations and the issues and challenges facing U.S. agriculture. U.S. competitiveness and the emergence of Brazil and Argentina as major agricultural exporters was discussed, as were other emerging issues such as agro-terrorism and border protection, the impact of globalization on the environment, and commodity and energy policies. Sponsors of this conference included Farm Foundation; the Department of Agribusiness and Applied Economics, North Dakota State University; the Center for North American Studies, Louisiana State University and Texas A&M University; North Dakota Farm Bureau; and North Dakota Farmers Union.
