I was getting a little concerned about the portentous silence from the administration in response to the U.S. sugar industry’s proposal to manage trade in sugar between the United States and Mexico (more here and here). Like toddlers in another room, silence often means trouble when it comes to the government: they must be up to something.

A swift, clear rejection of the proposal might have instilled more confidence, but today’s statement by Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer and United States Trade Representative Susan Schwab rejecting the proposal was welcome all the same. The positive part:

[T]he Administration cannot support recent sugar policy recommendations and will oppose efforts to implement them through legislation.

And the ominous:

We believe we have the tools and the cooperative relationships with the Government of Mexico to ensure the further smooth integration of our sweetener markets.

The use of the phrases “cooperative relationships” and “smooth integration” are not encouraging.