Agricultural Competitiveness and Trade Act of 1987

Agricultural Competitiveness and Trade Act of 1987 - Title I: Findings and Policy - Declares that it is U.S. policy to increase agricultural exports, to recapture the U.S. market share in agricultural trade, and to support programs to make U.S. exports more competitive abroad. Sets forth other policy objectives relating to agriculture.

Declares that, in negotiating the agricultural provisions of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), it is the U.S. objective to: (1) increase U.S. exports by eliminating trade barriers; (2) clarify the GATT rules for agricultural trade; (3) resolve questions relating to GATT treatment of export subsidies, market pricing, and market access. Declares that: (1) it is the primary U.S. negotiating objective to seek the elimination of barriers to agricultural trade from nations that have unusually large overall trade surpluses; (2) it is a primary U.S. objective in negotiating the next round of the GATT to reform the agricultural policies of the European Community; (3) it is U.S. policy to increase competitive agricultural exports to Japan; (4) it is a U.S. objective in bilateral negotiations and in the upcoming round of GATT negotiations to seek the elimination of barriers to agricultural trade in Japan; (5) it is an objective of the United States to seek the elimination of the barriers to agricultural trade in South Korea and to increase exports to South Korea.

Title II: Agricultural Trade - Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to make available certain commodities to cooperator organizations which shall use the commodities to establish demonstration projects designed to expand markets for U.S. agricultural commodities and products.

Requires that there be at least 850 full-time employees during each of FY 1987, 1988, and 1989 in the Foreign Agricultural Service of the Department of Agriculture. Expresses the sense of the Congress that such a number of employees should make it possible for the Service to devote greater resources to developing markets for U.S. agricultural commodities and products. Requires an agricultural attache who is reassigned from abroad to counsel agricultural producers on means of increasing exports and agricultural market development and promotional activities. Requires at least 60 percent of the personnel resource time of agricultural attaches who are stationed abroad to be devoted to market development and promotional activities for U.S. agricultural commodities.

Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to contract with an individual for services to be performed outside the United States as necessary in order to carry out market development activities for U.S. agricultural commodities.

Establishes within the Service an Office of International Market Development and Export Promotion to coordinate all market development, promotional, export enhancement, export credit, and targeted export assistance programs. Requires the Office to report annually to specified congressional committees on the market development programs.

Establishes within the Office a unit to monitor the quality of agricultural exports. Requires the unit to: (1) act as liaison with the Federal Grain Inspection Service, private U.S. exporters, foreign governments, and U.S. agricultural attaches overseas; (2) receive and respond to complaints about the quality of U.S. agricultural exports; and (3) identify problems in foreign markets concerning the quality of U.S. commodities and ensure that notice of such problems is provided to the relevant entities for quick response and follow-up.

Establishes within the Office a unit to evaluate the overall effectiveness of the market development and promotional programs of the Service. Requires the unit to report annually to specified congressional committees on such programs.

Earmarks at least 50 percent of the FY 1987 increase in funding of the Service to be used to create new markets for U.S. agricultural commodities in developing markets.

Authorizes appropriations for FY 1987 for trade shows and exhibitions conducted by the Service. Sets forth the ways the increase in funding for trade shows shall be used.

Authorizes appropriations for FY 1987 for program management and support activities of the Service and for its market promotion and trade development activities. Requires some of the increased funding to be used to provide adequate staff for: (1) the development of markets for high value-added products; and (2) the improvement of the quality of agricultural exports.

Establishes within the Department of Agriculture an Export Market Development Advisory Committee to: (1) review all U.S. agricultural market development and export enhancement programs; and (2) make recommendations for the improvement of such programs.