USDA'S AMSTUTZ "SYMPATHETIC" TO WOOD CREDITS U.S. Agriculture Undersecretary Daniel 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.