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NEWS STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Audrae Erickson, CRA 202-331-1634 or Jon Doggett, NCGA 202-628-7001 August 14, 2002 SENATORS URGE USTR TO NEGOTIATE SWEETENER DISPUTE SETTLEMENT The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) and the Corn Refiners Association, Inc. (CRA) applaud the efforts of Senate leaders to encourage U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Robert B. Zoellick to seek a negotiated solution to the ongoing sweetener dispute between Mexico and the United States. Twenty-two senators sent a letter dated August 12, 2002, urging an interim solution that takes U.S. agricultural export interests into full account. "Resolution of this dispute is an integral element in increasing farm family income for our growers," said Jon Doggett, vice president of public policy for NCGA. "Mexico is the second largest market for bulk U.S. corn exports." "We are determined to restore access for U.S. high fructose corn syrup exports to our number one market. This is a critical issue for the U.S. corn industry, as evidenced by the support of these senators," said CRA President Audrae Erickson. Over the past year, the Mexican government has erected several barriers--including a tax on soft drinks sweetened with HFCS, HFCS import licensing requirements and a quota on imports of HFCS--that have essentially closed a $240 million market to U.S. corn refiners and had a devastating effect on U.S. HFCS production investments in Mexico. Leaders of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, including Chairman Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), Ranking Member Richard Lugar (R-Ind.) as well as several other senators with corn industry interests including Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) and Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) led the letter writing campaign to press for restoration of the Mexican market for U.S.-made HFCS. The letter states, "This dispute must be resolved in a manner that grants acceptable access of U.S. HFCS to the Mexican market and Mexican sugar to the U.S. market as an interim solution. The U.S. corn and corn processing industries have been badly hurt by Mexico's refusal to grant fair and reasonable market access for corn-based products." The letter notes, "We recognize the importance of our relationship with Mexico on a wide range of issues and know that the current situation requires a delicate balancing act of many stakeholders. It is imperative that the United States continue to be the global leader in opening new markets if our agricultural economy is to maintain its strong international position." EDITORS NOTE: A PDF file of the letter is available. Please click the link to http://www.corn.org/web/rels0802senateletter.pdf. For more information on the corn refining industry, visit the Corn Capsules newsletter page. 
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