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Dairy farmers ask Trump to suspend Mexican tariffs

More than 60 groups representing US dairy farmers and cheese makers wrote a letter to President Trump asking him to suspend tariffs on Mexico until NAFTA talks are completed.

Shawna Morris, vice president of trade policy with US Dairy Export Council says the groups want to send a unified message because Mexico is their most reliable trading partner.

“Last year we exported about $1.2 billion to Mexico and roughly $400 million in cheese alone,” she says. “Mexico is at the very top of the list in terms of markets that are most critical for US dairy farmers and dairy manufacturers.”

Mexico is hitting most US cheese exports with retaliatory tariffs.

Morris tells Brownfield the groups are also concerned the European Union will use the opportunity to gain market share.

:”Mexico is beginning to look ahead to it’s EU free trade agreement,” she says. “Since that was just concluded this spring it will be implemented here in the next year or so.”

She says the groups want the tariffs to be suspended because Mexico has engaged constructively during NAFTA talks.

The letter says the tariffs will diminish demand for high-quality dairy products produced across the US that support nearly 3 million American jobs.

Audio: Shawna Morris, US Dairy Export Council