Hill Letter Supports U.S. Tomato Growers in Dispute With Mexico
U.S. tomato growers are suffering from an outdated 1996 trade agreement with Mexico that prevents them from challenging the dumping of foreign tomatoes on the U.S. market, said a letter to the Commerce Department signed by 15 members of Congress, including Rep. Mike Michaud, D-Me. “All our tomato growers want is a level playing field to compete on, and ending this agreement is a way to get there,” said Michaud (here).
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The Dec. 12 letter supports withdrawing the 1996 antidumping petition and having the existing suspension agreement covering fresh tomatoes from Mexico terminated. "We are concerned by the inability of the Department to reach a quick decision in this matter," it said. "We ask that the Department conclude the changed circumstances review in an expedited basis based on the factual record compiled."
On Mexican producers' request for consultations and modifications to the current agreement, the letter said. Commerce apparently hasn't obtained recent and relevant cost of production data from the Mexican producers: "Without the Mexican producers providing such data, it is hard to understand how Commerce can approach consultations."