06.07.17

Hoeven to Continue Pressing Administration to Ensure Mexican Sugar Dumping Stops Under New Agreement

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven today said he will continue pressing the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. Trade Representative and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to prevent Mexico from continuing to dump sugar into U.S. markets. Hoeven has spoken repeatedly with U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross about the issue. Today, the Commerce Department announced that an agreement in principle has been reached with Mexico on sugar imports into the United States.

“We appreciate the efforts of the U.S. Department of Commerce and their commitment to continue working with the U.S. sugar industry as this agreement is drafted and finalized,” said Hoeven. “I have repeatedly pressed Commerce Secretary Ross to stop the dumping of Mexican sugar into U.S. markets, which has harmful impacts on sugar growers in North Dakota. We will continue to work with Secretary Ross, as well as USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue, to close loopholes and ensure that our growers aren’t harmed by unfair trade practices.” 

The senator is working to expand access to foreign markets and ensure fair treatment for North Dakota’s agriculture industry. Among other things, his efforts include:

  • Serving as a member of the Senate-House Conference Committee that crafted the final farm bill of 2014, which directed the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to create an undersecretary of trade and foreign agricultural affairs. USDA recently announced plans to create the position to help grow foreign markets for U.S. agriculture.
  • Pressing the Administration to reach an agreement with China to open the country to U.S. beef imports. Earlier this month, the Commerce Department announced it had reached an agreement to export U.S. beef to China.
  • Backing the U.S. Trade Representative in bringing a compliance case against China in the World Trade Organization (WTO). Under its WTO obligations, China would have imported as much as $3.5 billion worth of additional U.S. wheat, corn and rice in 2015 alone.
  • Ensuring domestic honey producers receive all of the proceeds collected from settlements 

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