The primary reason many Mexican corn farmers lost their livelihoods after the implementation of NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) is due to the inability to compete with government-subsidized U.S. corn. This competitive disadvantage arose because U.S. corn farmers received significant subsidies from their government, which allowed them to sell corn at lower prices in the market. This influx of cheaper corn from the U.S. made it difficult for Mexican farmers to sell their produce profitably, leading to many economic struggles and, ultimately, the displacement of a large number of farmers.
While the other responses touch on broader effects of NAFTA, such as the potential loss of processing jobs and changing consumer preferences, the core issue for corn farmers specifically is their inability to compete with the pricing of subsidized U.S. corn. As these farmers faced declining prices and reduced demand for their corn, many were forced to abandon their farming livelihoods altogether.