Mexican tariff hurts Washington farmers

Baack · Mar 10, 2010

A tariff imposed by Mexico on some agricultural and processed food products is hurting Washington farmers, with potato growers feeling the brunt of the nearly year-old trade dispute.
Mexico last year levied a 20 percent tariff on more than 90 U.S. agricultural and industrial products worth an estimated $2.4 billion. The move came after expiration of a pilot program that allowed a limited number of Mexican trucks access to U.S. highways.
The tariff in part contributed to a $19.7 million decline in the value of exported Washington agricultural products -- excluding soybeans, corn and rice -- to Mexico in 2009 compared with 2008, according to the Washington Department of Agriculture.
And the state's spud growers are feeling the worst of it because Mexico included frozen potatoes on the tariff list.
Mexico is the No. 2 international export market for Washington frozen potatoes behind Japan, said Matt Harris, director of trade for the Washington State Potato Commission.
Washington sustained an estimated value loss of $14 million in frozen potatoes exported to Mexico from April to December 2009, according to the potato commission. That's half the total estimated loss of $28 million for all U.S. frozen potatoes sent south of the border, according to commission figures.
Mexico now looks to Canada for the bulk of its frozen french fries. And agricultural leaders fear Washington spud growers could permanently lose their share of the Mexican market and see job cuts in some food processing and handling facilities.

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http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/03/08/1100856/mexican-tariff-hurts-washington.html

MexicoTrucker · Mar 11, 2010

They're supposed to hurt!

Wait until they expand the tariff's to include beef, pork and poultry products!

And James Hoffa and Todd Spencer are solely responsible for the loss of jobs and market share because of the tariff's.

Heard today that their stooge in Congress, Peter DeFazio is writing a letter to Kirk and LaHood demanding renegotiation of the trucking provision of NAFTA, but only for Mexican trucks.

Let's see, we're opposing a couple of hundred Mexican trucks who cost us ZERO jobs while continuing to allow the Canadian's into the country who regularly ignore our cabotage laws? Which is more of a threat?

shooter19802003 · Mar 11, 2010

Which is more of a threat?
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Mexicans as a whole.

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