NM Farmers, ranchers are ready for a better deal

Craig Ogden

Trade, particularly through the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), is vital for New Mexico’s farmers and ranchers. According to the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service, 58 percent of New Mexico’s total agricultural exports in 2016 were delivered to our NAFTA partners. With New Mexico exporting $712.2 million worth of agricultural products, ranging from beef and dairy products, to our world famous chile and pecans, trade plays a pivotal role in New Mexico’s agricultural economy. However, like many of you, I have seen both the positive and negative effects of trade on New Mexico. Being a border state, trade deals often required us to compete directly with Mexico. Although Mexico does not enjoy the freedoms we are privileged to have as Americans, a farmer cannot deny the advantage that Mexican producers have, specifically when it comes to labor and environmental regulations. Being true innovators, we found ways to compete and market our products, but when countries began retaliating against U.S. tariffs, our profit margin became even more thin. With each tariff levied by the United States, the U.S. agriculture industry, which currently boasts a trade surplus, is repeatedly the target of retaliatory measures. The tariffs on U.S. pecan exports to China have risen to 47 percent. Cheese products exported to Mexico are facing tariffs ranging from 20 to 25 percent. As lists of tariffs are released, the number of U.S. agriculture products affected only expands. History has shown that agriculture bears the brunt of trade disputes. Patience prevailed in the past, but with net farm income down 52 percent in the past five years, many simply cannot afford to wait it out...MORE 

Ogden is President of the NM Farm & Livestock Bureau