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NPPC, USMEF on latest Trump Mexico tariff plan

Agriculture groups are urging President Trump not to place new tariffs on Mexico.

U.S. Meat Export Federation’s Joe Schuele tells Brownfield the recent return to tariff-free trade with Mexico was beneficial to U.S. producers. “That very quickly led to Mexico dropping its 20% tariff on U.S. pork, which had really been a major obstacle for our industry, especially in terms of value.” Schuele is evaluating what impact the proposed new tariff would have.

Jim Monroe with the National Pork Producers Council tells Brownfield any new tariffs are bad news and will likely be met with retaliation. “Mexico is U.S. Pork’s largest export market. We have lost twelve dollars per animal due to that dispute over the last year. That’s annualized to 1.5 billion dollars.”

President Trump said late Thursday, he will start new 5% tariffs on June 10th on all goods imported from Mexico until Mexico takes action to reduce the number of illegal aliens crossing its territory to reach the U.S.  Trump plans to raise the tariffs another 5% on the first of every month until Mexico takes significant action.

Monroe tells Brownfield he would like Washington to refrain from new tariffs. “Our appeal is just to let’s move forward with trade, with (the) ratification of USMCA. let’s get a trade agreement with Japan where we’re currently losing market share because of new trade agreements Japan has formed with some of our international competitors, and let’s resolve the China trade dispute.”

Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says the President’s proposed tariffs are a misuse of presidential tariff authority that would jeopardize passage of the USMCA.

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