Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, took the concerns of many Iowa farmers with him to the third World Trade Organization discussion in Seattle, which concludes today after three days of talks and protests.

Before taking off for the 135-nation meeting, Grassley held forums across Iowa to give farmers the opportunity to voice their opinions.

“The concerns that were expressed at my Iowa meetings are being brought up at every one of the meetings I have had here,” Grassley said.

Agriculture markets have been expanded in China, and Grassley expressed his appreciation in a meeting Thursday with the Chinese Trade Minister.

“Obviously, from Iowa we are very concerned about selling our grains and pork there,” he said. “It’s just a very dramatic benefit to agriculture in the United States.”

Another potential problem weighing on the minds of Iowa farmers is the sale of genetically modified crops, which many Europeans have opposed.

Grassley voiced his stance on the issue at a meeting with the minister for consumer affairs and protection of the European Union.

“We obviously wanted to impose upon him that we think the emotionalism of the European consumers may be legitimate,” Grassley said, “but there are concerns in the U.S. that it might be an excuse to keep agricultural products out of Europe.”

Aaron Putze, director of public relations for the Iowa Farm Bureau, agreed that the European Union may be acting on behalf of scare tactics.

“There is no scientific evidence to say that the products under question are not safe,” Putze said. “It’s important not to let fear be the deciding factor of whether a product is marketed. It’s a question on whether … we will use fear or science as a measuring stick.”

Grassley said the purpose of the Seattle convention is primarily to set an agenda for upcoming negotiating sessions held over the next three years.

“I think we will have a strong agricultural agenda; that agenda will set a time table over the next three years,” Grassley said. “If we get on the agenda the things we want to discuss, and I think we will, it will eventually be a victory for the American farmer.”

Receiving comparable coverage to the discussions in Seattle are the protests. Grassley said the swarms of protesters have slowed things up, causing meetings to be postponed.

“I don’t think they’ve had much of an impact at all except detract attention from the meeting,” he said. “I think the work is being done.”

Grassley said the protesters, who are primarily young people, are giving America a bad image and don’t understand what the WTO is trying to accomplish.

“For people who are in the democratic world, they saw the meanness of people and the damage to property and the looting as not part of our process of free speech,” he said. “I think generally Americans are embarrassed.”