U.S.-Mexico Trade Relations are Key
U.S.-Mexico trade relations will be a key topic of discussion at the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) Spring Conference to be held May 24-26 in Minneapolis.
Guest speaker Kenneth Smith Ramos, a former chief NAFTA negotiator for Mexico, says agricultural trade has thrived under NAFTA and its successor pact, the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), bolstering food security across the continent. He says it is important for the U.S. and Mexico to be mindful of these successes as they address specific trade challenges and establish future policies for agricultural trade.
"I really am convinced that trade in the ag sector has been one of the most important success stories in the history of the NAFTA, and now we should continue with the USMCA," Smith Ramos says. "We have very strong exports from the U.S. of course, in meat products, in oil seeds, grains, and quite a few exports from Mexico - primarily in fruits and vegetables that we can grow year round."
Other regions in the world are suffering tremendously from some of the external shocks and the prices of commodities rising, lack of access to grains and flour, he adds. Meanwhile, North America has a more food secure environment.
"We were set to concentrate on manufactured goods, where in reality at the end of the day, the most essential piece of trade between our countries, are our food products, both primary agriculture, and of course processed foods as well," he says.
Smith Ramos plans to provide a panoramic view of trade between Mexico and the U.S. and more at the Thursday, May 25, general session. He will discuss how to solve these challenges so that the U.S. doesn't go down the route of protectionism in the ag sector, and rather continues taking advantage of this important agricultural trade relationship.
The conference opens Wednesday with a discussion of market conditions and consumer trends in Asia, along with a detailed look at USMEF’s efforts to showcase underutilized cuts of U.S. pork, beef and lamb. At Friday’s closing session, former House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson will address USMEF members on the challenges of crafting the new Farm Bill.
Read More:
What Meat Product is Your State Most Hungry For? Data Shows Top Meat Volume Growth
Is There a Growing Market for Dollar Store Grocery?
