What is the name of the group of agricultural exporting countries, formed in 1986, that brought agriculture firmly onto the multilateral trade agenda and later negotiated within the World Trade Organization (WTO)?

Introduction / Context:
International trade in agricultural products is shaped by various alliances and negotiating groups. In the mid 1980s, several medium sized agricultural exporting countries felt that their interests were not adequately represented in global trade talks under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), which later evolved into the World Trade Organization (WTO). This question asks you to identify the specific group formed in 1986 that successfully pushed agriculture onto the multilateral trade agenda and continues to influence agricultural negotiations at the WTO.

Given Data / Assumptions:

- The group consists of agricultural exporting countries.- It was formed in 1986.- Its purpose was to bring agriculture into multilateral trade negotiations.- The context later includes WTO level discussions.

Concept / Approach:
The Cairns Group is a coalition of agricultural exporting countries, including nations like Australia, Canada, Brazil and others, formed in the Australian city of Cairns in 1986. Their main aim was to press for fair and market oriented reforms in agricultural trade, challenging the heavy subsidies and protectionist policies of major powers. ASEAN is a broader regional grouping of Southeast Asian nations, not specifically created as an agricultural exporter coalition. NAFTA is a regional trade agreement among the United States, Canada and Mexico, and SCANA is not a standard widely recognised grouping in this context. Therefore, the correct answer is The Cairns Group.

Step-by-Step Solution:
1. Note the year 1986 and the description agricultural exporting countries, which points to a coalition formed during the Uruguay Round of GATT talks.2. Recall that The Cairns Group was created in the city of Cairns, Australia, specifically to represent competitive agricultural exporters.3. Remember that the group worked to bring agriculture, which had been relatively sheltered, into more open multilateral trade negotiations.4. Recognise that ASEAN stands for Association of Southeast Asian Nations and is a regional political and economic organisation, not just an agricultural exporter bloc.5. Eliminate NAFTA and other options as they do not match the description, and select The Cairns Group as the answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
References on international trade history and WTO negotiations clearly identify The Cairns Group as a major coalition formed in 1986 to push for liberalisation of agricultural trade. They highlight that the group is composed of non subsidising or low subsidising agricultural exporting countries. In contrast, ASEAN and NAFTA have different origins, purposes and membership bases. Verifying this in any standard text on global trade confirms that The Cairns Group is the only option matching the description given in the question.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
- ASEAN: a regional association of Southeast Asian nations, not specifically a coalition of agricultural exporters formed in 1986 for WTO agriculture talks.- SCANA: not recognised as the key agriculture exporting coalition described in trade negotiation history.- NAFTA: a regional free trade agreement between the United States, Canada and Mexico, focused on broader trade integration rather than a specific 1986 agriculture exporter coalition.- G20: a grouping of major economies that discusses global economic issues, but not an agriculture exporting coalition formed in 1986.

Common Pitfalls:
Students may confuse The Cairns Group with more widely known names like ASEAN or G20 simply because those organisations are familiar. Others may not link the word Cairns with a place in Australia and therefore fail to recall the group's origin. To avoid this, remember the simple association: Cairns equals a city in Australia, and The Cairns Group equals agriculture exporting countries pushing for fair global agricultural trade. Fixing this connection in memory makes such questions straightforward in the exam.

Final Answer:
The group is known as The Cairns Group.