June 6, 2017

Washington, DC – In response to today’s announcement by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross and Mexico’s Minister of Economy Ildefonso Guajardo Villarreal on the successful conclusion of the Suspension Agreements on Sugar from Mexico, John Bode, President and CEO of the Corn Refiners Association, commented:

“This is a great day for American jobs.  In this Administration’s first major negotiation with Mexico, Secretary Ross succeeded in protecting against unfair trade practices and maintained vulnerable export markets.  With both sides demanding more, he coolly pursued the broader public interest.  Thanks to his leadership, U.S. sugar interests have much stronger protections than the previous Suspension Agreements without threatening the $500 million in U.S. corn sweetener exports to Mexico that support 4,000 U.S. jobs.

As good as this success is, it is also an excellent sign for the coming NAFTA negotiations.  Today’s announcement sets a thoughtful tone and positive posture for modernizing NAFTA.”

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The Corn Refiners Association (CRA) is the national trade association representing the corn refining industry of the United States. CRA and its predecessors have served this important segment of American agribusiness since 1913. Corn refiners manufacture sweeteners, starch, advanced bioproducts, corn oil and feed products from corn components such as starch, oil, protein and fiber.