During a May 12 hearing of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee focused on the Biden Administration’s trade agenda, Senator Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) raised the Mexican fresh access issue and the recent Mexican Supreme Court decision with USTR Ambassador Katherine Tai.
Concluding his time, Senator Bennet said: “In the last five seconds I have, I just wanted to call your attention to a recent Mexican Supreme Court decision on potatoes. Finally, finally, finally after all these years we have the opportunity to open access for the potato farmers in the San Luis Valley in Colorado. I just hope you are aware of that decision and that we are working hard with Mexico to achieve that access.”
Ambassador Tai replied, “I’m very aware of that Senator Bennet, and am a little surprised that Senator Crapo hasn’t mentioned it.”
In a rare case of congressional bipartisanship, Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Chairman Wyden (D-Ore.) both agreed that the issue was very important to the committee, with the Chairman saying, “We all care about potatoes up here.”
SOURCE: National Potato Council
