El Justo Reclamo

NAFTA Grows Up

Chris Clayton DTN Staff Reprter

Largely lost in the bustle of the New Year was the "full implementation" ofthe North American Free Trade Agreement.

While hardly noticed by much of the U.S. press, including myself, newspapersin Mexico, as well as Mexican farm activists, took notice.
The Canadian Press reported that Mexican newspapers "were filled withpredictions that the trade opening would hurt Mexican food production andcause conflict."
The same article led off stating that "Activists lifted a blockade at theU.S.-Mexico border on Wednesday, ending a 36-hour protest against theremoval of Mexico's last tariffs on U.S. and Canadian farm goods.
Mexico abolished its last protective tariffs on basic crops like corn, beansand sugar on Tuesday, under the terms of the North American Free TradeAgreement, or NAFTA. Mexican farmers have complained they won't be able tocompete with U.S. farmers who can sell cheaper products because they receivegovernment subsidies.
Mexico's Roman Catholic Church has warned that the changes could spark anexodus to the U.S.
"It is clear that many farmers will have a difficult time competing in thedomestic market, and that could cause a large number of farmers to leavetheir farms," the archdiocese said in a statement issued on New Year's Day.
http://canadianpress.google.com/…
One of the better articles on the U.S. side of the border came from theHouston Chronicle, which contrasted the benefits corn and cotton farmers inthe U.S. have gained from NAFTA compared to the damage NAFTA has imposed onU.S. fruit and vegetable growers who have faced cheaper competition as well.
http://www.chron.com/…
Ian Swanson of TheHill.com reported Tuesday that the top three Democrats inthe Iowa Caucuses would "look into changing the controversial North AmericanFree Trade Agreement (NAFTA) if elected president."
Sens. Barack Obama, D-Ill., and Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., along with formerSen. John Edwards of North Carolina each stated they would change NAFTA insome comments sent to an Iowa union group. "The Iowa Fair Trade Campaigntouted the responses as representing the most comprehensive statements onglobalization from the Democratic candidates," Swanson wrote.
One thing that should be pointed out is that Clinton's husband signed theNAFTA agreement when president.
http://thehill.com/…
Acting Agriculture Secretary Chuck Conner released a statement touting thebenefits of NAFTA to agriculture.
http://www.usda.gov/…