[simonsays]

Originally Posted by HotHotHeat

Orrrrr...Not.

The removal of tariffs, quotas and direct supports was accelerated with the signing of NAFTA and the opening of Mexico to international markets, says Carlsen. From 1994 to 2002, US exports of maize to Mexico nearly tripled, from 2.2 million tonnes annually to 6 million tonnes. Mexico also became the second-largest export market for US maize, accounting for 11 percent of all exports in 2000, or about US$550 million worth.

The effects in rural Mexico have been pronounced. As many of the larger farmers shifted from maize to other crops, smaller, poorer farmers actually increased the cultivated land under maize to offset their decreasing income and feed their families. The unfortunate irony is that these smaller farmers lost even more money on corn every year, and fell deeper into poverty.

http://www.cec.org/trio/stories/inde...h&ed=12&ID=143

NAFTA is a real bugger.

I have little doubts that NAFTA isn't looking out for small scale corn farmers in Mexico. But it does keep the costs of maize low for your average consumer, and frankly that probably affects more people.

Originally Posted by The Economist

Growing maize efficiently requires lots of water, large fields and mechanisation—in other words, Iowa or Saskatchewan rather than Oaxaca. Subsidies have caused Mexican farmers to stick to maize instead of switching to more profitable and labour-intensive crops, such as fruit and vegetables, Mr Serra argues

http://www.economist.com/world/la/di...ry_id=10566845