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A UN report on the “benefits” of green jobs exclaims that increased agricultural trade between the US and Mexico is bad because, “cheap corn from the US has hurt Mexican producers who grow maize on small and mid-sized plots in difficult environments using low levels of technology.”

So let me get this straight:

  1. The myriad consumers of cheap corn do not matter?
  2. We are concerned that free trade hurts Mexican farmers who, use land totally unsuitable to corn farming, and who incur large expenses to do it. Weren’t green jobs claims supposed to be supportive of environmental sustainability?
  3. If the focus of our attention is on the well being of Mexican producers, then how come these very same guys do not come out in favor of free trade in autos and electronics – these are produced by Mexican workers and firms, and more open trade between the US and Mexico would clearly help those producers?

I am sure they just got a little mixed up, that’s all. Except it was a huge UN report using many thousands of dollars to be produced, and having far more influence than some weasly little blog in Western, NY.

3 Responses to “Twisty Trade Pretzels”

  1. Michael says:

    Come on wintercow; wouldn’t it give you a nice warm fuzzy fealing if you were to get your pineapples and bannanas straight from the plant from a local farmer in January? Think of the carbon saved by not having to transport the imported stuff.

  2. Harry says:

    Michael, wintercow may be optomistic, but nobody grows pineapples or bananas in Rochester.

    Now, if you like really good grape juice, or if you hate bad wine, ro
    Rochester and Buffalo are your vineyard.

    This January I will be sent at least five seed catogues which will have the same zone weather map. People in Rochester are advised to plant late, soon after the snow melts.

  3. tb says:

    Every semester I have to go through this with my students: If trade isn’t good between countries, it wouldn’t be good between states, if it weren’t good between states, it wouldn’t be good between towns, if it weren’t good between towns it wouldn’t be good between people. For those of you who believe in self sufficiency, go buid your own damn computer before you reply to my post. Trade lets us sell more of our stuff at the highest price possible and lets us consume more at the lowest price possible. The question I always ask of my Creighton University student is, “If we didn’t trade here in Nebraska, what we have?” My answer is, “Scurvy”.

Leave a Reply to Harry