[Richard]

I bet you thought this was another softwood lumber story. WRONG almost


http://www.cropchoice.com/leadstry2299.html?recid=1755


How many times have they lost and there is still no deal on softwood. Yet they can take the same arguement and expect the Mexicans to capitulate in a few months.

[Rev_Blair]

Mexican agriculture has been devastated by NAFTA. Maize was the big problem, now it's rice and beef. The problem is that US subsidies and the massive US agri-corporations allow US producers to sell products at rates that are basically starving out Mexican farmers.

[Richard]

The do on to others first or do onto others because your the biggest kid in the sandbox...lol

[Rev_Blair]

The US system is really bizarre. Their rules have already destroyed small family farms in the US. Canadian farmers have responded by getting incredibly huge, which leaves farmers subject to ruin by a single crop failure. Even when they are doing well they tend to have to work off of the farm for at least part of the year.

Now consider Mexico where most farmers were one step ahead of subsistence to begin with. Their economy doesn't really support people working off the farm and farming at the same time...there just aren't enough jobs. The capital wasn't there to get big or to invest in modern technology.

It's a bloody mess and it all goes back to NAFTA.

[Richard]

The whole thing smells of destabilization tactics to me.

[Rev_Blair]

I don't think it's anything so conspiratorial. It really seems to just be the same old pattern of graft and kickbacks. US corporations don't care about the people of Mexico or Canada or the US. All they want is more market share and more money. It's a fairly short-term view of the world, but they have to answer to their shareholders.

So they put pressure on the US government and the subsidies come in. The present subsidies really go back to the Reagan administration. Then they put pressure for trade deals favourable to them on not just the US government, but governments on the other side of the trade deal. They push undermine farmer's unions and co-ops so the opposition is less vocal. In the end they get the deals that are favourable to them.