Larsen Praises Cross-Border Trucking Deal that will Help Washington State Farmers

Washington, DC, July 6, 2011

 Today, U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02) released the following statement after Secretary LaHood joined with Mexico's Secretary of Transportation to sign documents that finalize the details of a new cross-border, long-haul trucking pilot program and begin the removal of Mexico's retaliatory tariffs on U.S. agriculture. 

“These tariffs on agricultural products have hurt our local farmers and cost Washington state over $100 million in lost exports,” said Rep. Larsen. “It is past time to end these tariffs so our region's farmers can finally regain access to a market that helps create local jobs."
“We are very encouraged by the news of reduced tariffs on potatoes going into Mexico. Growers in Washington have been at an unfair disadvantage to countries like Canada who were enjoying basically no tariffs at all on frozen potato products to Mexico. The reduction on the tariff will give our processors an opportunity to compete with those countries and ship more Washington potatoes to Mexico. This will increase the chance for growers to become profitable,” Darrin Morrison, potato farmer in Skagit County. 
Larsen has worked over the last three years to lift these tariffs that have negatively impacted area farmers.
He pressed the President, the Department of Transportation and the Office of the United States Trade Representative for a solution to the Mexican tariffs with other members of Congress. He also raised the issue directly during a meeting with the Mexican Ambassador. 
The announcement from the Department of Transportation is in response to the ongoing issue with the tariffs placed on American agricultural and other products by the Government of Mexico following the halt of a pilot program in March 2009 requiring safety inspections of trucks entering the United States from Mexico.
The reciprocal program between the United States and Mexico will trigger the lifting of retaliatory tariffs first imposed by Mexico over two years ago. 50% of Mexican tariffs on U.S. products will be eliminated on July 8th, and the remaining 50% will be suspended within five business days from the date on which the first Mexican carrier receives authorization under the new program.
The WA State Department of Commerce estimates that WA state has lost over $100 million in lost exports of agricultural products due to the tariffs imposed by Mexico.
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