U.S. Sugar Producers Applaud Deal to Stop Mexican Dumping

American sugar farmers and processors gave their verbal approval to the Department of Commerce in support of the deal to bring Mexican sugar producers into compliance with U.S. trade laws. The approval was given after the commerce department tightened up some of the requirements. Phillip Hayes of the American Sugar Alliance says his group has had productive conversations with Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross. Hayes says, “We recognize that Ross is 100 percent dedicated to ending the job loss and injury caused by Mexico’s predatory sugar practices. American sugar farmers applaud his efforts to address Mexico’s violation of U.S trade law.” Sugar farmers and producers also spoke with Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue, who Hayes says also recognizes the damage caused by Mexican trade practices, and is confident Perdue will manage U.S. sugar policy effectively. The U.S. government found Mexico guilty of violating America’s anti-dumping and countervailing duty laws when it flooded the American market with subsidized sugar in 2013 and 2014. The two countries reached an agreement to stop the practice late in 2014, but the agreement didn’t work. That cost American sugar producers billions of additional dollars.