U.S. and Mexico agricultural officials met to finalize expansion of the U.S. table stock and chipping potatoes into Mexico.
Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and Mexico Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development Victor Villalobos met to discuss open trade, science-based policy making and sustainable and climate-smart agricultural production, a U.S. Department of Agriculture April 5 news release said.
“Vilsack and Villalobos announced the U.S. and Mexico have concluded all necessary plant health protocols and agreed to a final visit by Mexican officials in April that finalizes expanded access to the entire Mexican market no later than May 15 for all U.S. table stock and chipping potatoes according to the agreed workplan,” the release said.
The meeting led to reaffirmation of commitments in several areas, including promoting food security by facilitating trade, inclusive rural development and enabling sustainable productivity growth; continuing to support rural development by expanding market opportunities for agricultural producers; helping small producers and new farmers with respect to developing local and regional markets; tackling climate change by giving farmers access to tools and technologies to increase production while minimizing environmental impacts; and enhancing plant and animal health cooperation to meet emerging threat and promote food security, according to the release.
The two-way trade of food and agricultural products between the two countries reached $63 billion in 2021, a record amount, according to the news release. Reportedly, the relationship between the countries has been strengthened by the U.S.-Mexico-Canada agreement.
