A group of close to 30 Senators led by Chuck Grassley of Iowa and John Thune of South Dakota are concerned with Mexico’s latest trade agreement with the European Union which could end up hurting America’ s cheese exporters, processors and dairy farmers. The group has written to the U.S. Trade Representative asking him to ensure Mexico doesn’t follow geographical indicator requirements of the EU. South Dakota Dairy Producers Association President Marv Post is hoping the USTR can prevent those GIs from shutting the U.S out of the Mexican market.
He says Mexico is the largest export destination for American cheese, accounting for around one third of the $1.3 billion in dairy products the U.S. exported to Mexico last year.
Post is hoping U.S. negotiators may be able to use the North American Free Trade Agreement to help solve this trade concern.
Trade officials from the U.S., Mexico and Canada are currently re-negotiating that deal.
