Corn Refiners Condemn Mexican Senate Vote to Renew Sweetener Tax

CORN REFINERS ASSOCIATION ^ | December 29, 2003 | Audrae Erickson

[allodialman]

WASHINGTON, DC – The Corn Refiners Association (CRA) today condemned the vote by the Mexican Senate on December 27 to maintain the 20% tax on soft drinks made with high fructose corn syrup (HFCS).

“It is now a certainty that the Mexican soda tax will remain in place following the recent vote of the Mexican Senate. It is unacceptable that this discriminatory tax has shut down production of HFCS in Mexico and U.S. HFCS exports for two full years,” said CRA President Audrae Erickson. “We urge a speedy conclusion of the on-going U.S.-Mexican private sector efforts to bring about a resolution to the sweetener dispute. Such a solution represents the most meaningful opportunity to remove the soda tax and resume sweetener trade between our two countries. In the interim, we will urge the U.S. Congress to enact the Mexican Agricultural Trade Compliance Act (MATCA) as expediently as possible.”

[allodialman]

Is this the main reason President Bush is now with The Fox of Mexico, hammering out the deal that lets illegals in and pours high fructose corn syrup out. "Mr. Fox, if you drop the tax we will let the wetbacks stay, and as a bonus we will pay them social security when they get back to your country."

[Zipporah]

My thought as well.. big business.. and Fox are pulling the strings on this one..

[Paleo Conservative]

Fructose is worse for the body than sucrose. If it weren't for sugar quotas that keep foreign sugar out of the US market, fructose wouldn't be so popular with food processors.

[allodialman]

After studying this (HFCS) I come to the conclusion that the legislators of Mexico do not want this sweetener used by its people, as in Europe. But big US big business will try to ram it down their throats.

[allodialman]

Yes, I agree totally. If HFCS were not a so called "food" It would be banned as a DRUG.

[Zipporah]

When try to ram it down their throats.. bet they don't get a 'sugar high'..

[Ben Ficklin]

I thought that this was a retaliatory action due to the US keeping Mexican sugar out?

[allodialman]

Mexico first enacted the soda tax in January 2002. Significant losses in U.S. investments in MEXICAN and American HFCS corn wet milling capacity and jobs have resulted from the 20% tax imposed on beverages sold in Mexico that are sweetened with products other than cane sugar. The tax has shut down U.S. exports of HFCS to Mexico for two years. I have found that Mexico seems to be in line with the EU on the use of genetically modified foods. Tax it so high that sugar will be used instead.

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[farmfriend]

Rights, farms, environment ping.

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[E.G.C.]

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