Lars Lieving Debate Affirmative 1st Constructive.

Wise--10 NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement), has greatly affected the agriculture of Mexico. American farmers have several benefits that give them a big advantage over Mexican farmers. The American government gives their farmers a slight educational advantage, an infrastructure advantage, and an agricultural advantage. The educational advantage is that the U.S. government funds colleges and public schools to come up with more effective and cheaper ways to grow their crops. The infrastructure advantage is that American farmers have access to highways, railroads, etc. and the access to shipping and air transportation. Mexico does not have tariffs anymore due to the agreement of NAFTA. With all the advantages the Americans have over the Mexicans, it makes it easy for American farmers to dump their cheaper products into Mexico. This makes the competition with American farmers very hard for Mexican farmers. Villarreal--10 When the tariffs were taken away, the amount of American products being brought into Mexico was greatly increased. Because Mexican farmers cant compete with Americans cheap food products, Mexico has become dependent on American imports. When Mexico imports basic grains and meats from America, Mexican farmers have to match the American basic grains or meats price. Since Mexican farmers dont get the benefits that American farmers have that make American agricultural products cheaper, the Mexicans then lose money. (Fox and Haight--10) Three organizations have been made to try and help Mexican farmers raise more money so they can afford to lower their prices and make money off the lower prices. If the American farmers crops are always bought, then the Mexican farmers will be driven out of business. If this happens, then the American farmers will keep on bringing in their products, and since they will not have any more competition, they will raise the prices unreasonably high, and people will still buy the products. This is one of the many bad effects this has on Mexico itself. My plan for fixing the problem of the Mexicans being hurt by the free trade is to bring back the tariffs. This will help the Mexican farmers by making it so they will be able to compete with the American farmers. Then the prices will be right and no one will be run out of business. The United States federal government should substantially increase its economic engagement with Mexico by negotiating the creation of a North American Regional Development Fund. (Debate Packet)

 Harms (Problem with the current situation) NAFTA harms Mexican farmers by: getting rid of tariffs that make it so American farmers can dump their cheaper products into Mexico Mexican farmers trying to match American farmers food prices their farmers losing money by lowering their food prices getting the poorest farmers out of the PROCAMPO (Program for Direct Rural Support) program Plan Solvency