Cramer Statement on ITC Ruling Against Mexico in Sugar Trade Dispute

Statement

Congressman Kevin Cramer released the following statement today after the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) ruled Mexico's sugar industry harmed American producers by dumping subsidized sugar onto the U.S. market. It was a unanimous 6-0 decision by the commission. The ruling keeps in effect a suspension agreement which sharply limits the amount of Mexican sugar which can be imported into the United States, as well as setting a minimum price for the imported sugar.

This decision confirms Mexico has been dumping heavily subsidized sugar in the U.S. market in clear violation of the North American Free Trade Agreement. Mexico's actions injured sugar producers in the Red River Valley and across the country. I am a firm believer in free trade where foreign governments are not allowed to subsidize their producers at the expense of our farmers. I will continue to work with my colleagues to open more markets to our goods and services and make sure our current trade agreements are enforced.

The ITC and U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) launched antidumping and countervailing duty investigations into Mexico's sugar industry in March 2014. Last month, the DOC ruled Mexican sugar producers had benefited from subsidy rates and were dumping sugar on the U.S. market at 40 percent lower than the market price.

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