Peters Touts Cross-Border Program’s Benefits to Agricultural Exporters

Image
DOT Secretary Mary Peters — James Kim for DOT

Transportation Secretary Mary Peters said the government’s cross-border trucking program with Mexico was essential for helping U.S. agricultural exports.

Touring a meat-packing plant in Denver on Tuesday, Peters said that efforts by some federal lawmakers critical of the program would hurt Colorado’s farmers and ranchers, DOT said in a statement.

Peters said that Colorado alone exports over $356 million a year worth of products to Mexico, including meat, soy, wheat, onions and beans.

Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) has called for an investigation into why the federal government was spending money on the pilot program, saying Congress prohibited spending money on the program last year.



Click here for previous coverage.