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North American ag officials urge approval of U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement
Story Date: 10/19/2018
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Source: NATIONAL ASSOC. OF STATE DEPTS. OF AGRICULTURE, 10/18/18
Members of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) and their state and provincial counterparts from Mexico and Canada today issued a joint statement on the approval and successful implementation of the United States-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) Trade Agreement. North American state and provincial agriculture officials are gathered this week in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico for the 27th annual Tri-National Agricultural Accord. The Accord represents a longstanding commitment among the senior state and provincial agricultural officials of Canada, the United States, and Mexico to work together collaboratively on agricultural trade and development issues.
In their joint communiqué the leaders of the state and provincial departments of agriculture from across North America said, “The Ministers, Secretaries, Commissioners, and Directors of the State and Provincial departments of agriculture from Canada, Mexico and the U.S. commend federal negotiators on the conclusion of negotiations on the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement. Delegates acknowledge the importance of our long-established trade relationship and agree to work together throughout the process towards the agreement’s approval and successful implementation.”
“Trade with Canada and Mexico supported 44 million food and agricultural jobs in 2017 and $44 billion worth of exports of American-grown products,” said NASDA President and New Mexico Secretary of Agriculture Jeff Witte. “The USMCA will modernize important aspects of our trading relationship and help to better facilitate trade among all three countries. We look forward to working with our Mexican and Canadian counterparts to continuing to strengthen our relationship and advance the agriculture sector across North America.”
“Beyond talks on the USMCA, we had productive conversations on advancing new agricultural technology and working together on food safety. We also the highlighted the necessity of a focused effort to prepare the next generation of the agricultural workforce, as well as collaboration to improve capacity for pest and disease surveillance, prevention and rapid response.”
The U.S. Delegation was led by NASDA President and New Mexico Secretary of Agriculture Jeff Witte, the Canadian delegation was led by Manitoba Minister of Agriculture Ralph Eichler, and the Mexican delegation was led by Puebla Secretary of Rural Development and Sustainability Rodrigo Riestra Piña.
NASDA is a nonpartisan, nonprofit association which represents the elected and appointed commissioners, secretaries, and directors of the departments of agriculture in all fifty states and four U.S. territories. NASDA grows and enhances agriculture by forging partnerships and creating consensus to achieve sound policy outcomes between state departments of agriculture, the federal government, and stakeholders.
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